The Legend of Spyro: Visions of Darkness
by MysticOTDH
Summary: Twenty years after Spyro saved the Dragon realms, the world experiences something foreign to it. Peace. In Warfang, Spyro and Cynder have begun new lives with prosperous futures, settling into the tedious swing of normal life. But when Spyro finds himself in the firing lines again, it will show him that darkness can strike from places you least expect it.
1. Prologue - The Age of Dreams

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome to the brand new, fully planned and polished story called The Legend of Spyro: Visions of Darkness. I have really high hopes for this story as it is actually planned rather than Amity which was kind of winged from day one. (Get it? Cause dragons have wings? Eh? Never mind). This story will have lots of twists and turns as the plot develops and there may be sides to characters which many of you may have not seen yet so stay tuned for that.**

**Now before Cheetah and I begin, I want to say a massive thank you first off to IllusionMaster who welcomed me into this community with open arms and has supported and reviewed every single one of my works since I have been part of this so… Thank you Illusion for being amazing!**

**Another person which deserves a thank you is SKda Gamer, who has helped me a lot with filling the holes with this story and helped me with how I should plan and how to set things out. He also raised the issues in Amity as well which I am grateful for and, when it comes to Cheetah and I doing the rewrite, we will be sure to take his advice into account. He's also put a lot of things into perspective for me and raised some issues which I would never have seen without him so I would like to say a massive thank you to you SKda for being awesome as well.**

**Lastly, I of course want to thank my girlfriend and co-writer Cheetah Lover for sticking with me through the car crash that was Amity. Also, I want to thank her for putting up with me for this long and taking the time to get to know me. Love you honey!**

**Right, enough of the formalities. Let's get going! Hope you guys enjoy this prologue and leave a review of what you thought and how I could improve.**

**Let the story begin!**

* * *

**Prologue - The Age of Dreams**

A clear sunrise marked the dawn of a new age, a glistening prosperity for new lives and new beginnings. West winds, brisk and cold, drove across the sky and each breath of a creature is treasured as the first breath of dawn. Clouds formed unique pictures in the sky, creating an omen of trust and peace.

It was the beginning of an age, an age of dreams.

* * *

Upon a distant island, far from civilisations and prying eyes of unwanted attention, was the symbol of wisdom and great knowledge. A prosperous mind, among many in the dragon realms, who was watching carefully with old and wise eyes. In this age, he was known as the Chronicler, but to many, his name was Ignitus. Cool, calm and collected, he marvelled at the potential this new age obtained. He stood strong, with a peaceful smile as the great dragon gazed into one of the millions of books he had in his possession.

The Chronicler stood in a large oval room, surrounded by many shelves of books and tapestries, each containing precious information on past ages; good and bad. A shimmering hour glass was positioned proudly in the middle of the great chamber, making it seem far more surreal than the Chronicler knew it was. A pane-glass roof overlooked the temple, sending rays of burning orange and natural amber through its delicate hinges and bathing the temple in gold. A sealed oak door stood at the far end of the chamber, sealing it off from other areas of the temple and the outside world. Each marking and every detail on the walls signifies a passed age and holds echoes of the past.

Ignitus looked at the oak door, reminiscing moments where he had actual physical interaction with someone.

"Being the Chronicler does have its perks, but it does get rather lonely at times."

He smiled at his self-pity and resumed his original activity. Ignitus sat himself down with one paw over another, lightly tapping one of his claws on the pearl floor as he scanned over the pages of the book.

He gazed with wonder as one of the pages began to shimmer into shape, creating a picturesque vision of clover fields, swaying green grass and tall towering trees. Ignitus' eye wandered over to a small village positioned at the far end of the page, holding quite a large amount of scaffolding and a tribe of cheetahs.

* * *

Avalar.

The valley was lush and full of colour, stretching on and on as clovers and fresh green grass graced the earth's surface. Trees stood tall with trunks as solid and unbending as a tower, with leaves that clawed at the pale blue sky. A long shimmering stream rolled gently down the centre of the valley, creating a satisfying noise of rushing water. Everything was so full of colour, so full of freedom.

Towards the west, in an open area of grass and flowers, was a village of both courage and bravery. After Malefor's defeat over twenty years ago, the cheetahs had begun to rebuild their small but strong village. Even though they seemed small in number, their heart and trust in each other was their best weapon, which seemed to fend off any enemy that dared to attack.

Spring was present, and with it came a warm and welcoming sun which beamed down upon their home, sharing a precious gift of heat and light. Houses made up of beams of wood and small amounts of vine were positioned at most corners of the village, and a small gravel path was marked out to every house. Each occupant of the village was going about their daily routine, greeting each other as they went.

As for one particular cheetah though, the day began with a lonesome walk up to the riverside. He had a blood red cloak draped over his shoulders and chest, held together with a clip and covered by the yin and yang symbol. A bow was cast over his right shoulder, the string shining a bright silver, and the structure was a brown woodland colour. A quiver was strapped across his back as he made his way slowly to the water's edge, softly dropping his bow onto the ground before splashing water against his face, causing it to shimmer as the droplets slowly fell from his fur to the grass below him. He closed his eyes and became one with his surroundings, hearing each bird and each heartbeat of every animal before slowly opening his eyes again.

It had been a while since Hunter of Avalar was engaged in combat and he was relishing in the chance to have peace for once, but there was something in the back of his mind that he could not remove. A shadow that kept breathing on the hairs of his neck and following him wherever he went. Hunter felt like something was missing, a part of himself that had been lost since the war.

"You miss the fight, don't you?"

Hunter stayed still, almost unfazed by the voice that had interrupted his thoughts. He sighed and looked over towards a cluster of rocks that had formed at the side of the stream.

"It is normal for a warrior to miss the thrill of battle," replied Hunter, still facing the stream and daring not to look at who was behind him.

"Not this much, old friend."

Hunter felt a warm paw place itself upon his shoulder, he sighed yet again before finally facing a fellow cheetah who he knew all too well.

"My apologies Chief Prowlus," said Hunter, putting himself onto one knee and bowing his head. "I am being selfish, it is not my place."

Prowlus lightly placed his paw around Hunter's arm and raised him to his feet. "I know we have our differences Hunter, but I think I know when one of my friends are not their usual self."

"Indeed."

Prowlus released Hunter's arm from his paw and loosened his cloak a little before turning back towards Hunter.

"My old friend, there will be times where you do miss the thrill of a battle," said Prowlus, placing both paws on each of Hunter's arms and forming a fierce gaze directly into Hunter's eyes, "but as much as you must miss it, there are things which are more important right now."

Hunter nodded and chuckled quietly to himself, knowing exactly what Prowlus meant with his previous statement. Only mere months after the world was rebuilt, Hunter found something which he did not expect he would ever find in his long years of life.

Love.

For Hunter, it came in the form of Clover, a cheetah with deep blue eyes, orange and red fur and a smile that was loving and so full of kindness. Hunter was mesmerised by her instantly and spent days and nights by her side until he asked for her hand in marriage. She took it willingly and within weeks they were happily married. Clover was Hunter's most precious possession and everyday when he woke, seeing her face would always make the world seem a lot brighter. Each day would pass just like the last, with happiness and joy. Hunter was happy.

Hunter stepped backwards and adjusted the quiver strap on his chest a little before turning back towards the river which sparkled like diamonds as the sun beamed down upon it. He slowly knelt himself back down and placed his bow back in the same spot where he had placed it prior to Prowlus' arrival. He took a sharp inhale of breath before muttering a short prayer and lifting his head up slightly, the wind breezing across the tips of his fur. Hunter finished his prayer and stood back up to gaze once more at the rising sun over the mountains. A new day had begun and with it came a lot of potential. Hunter turned to Prowlus again and began to walk back towards the entrance of the village.

"You must be excited for the new addition to your family, old friend," said Prowlus with a twinkle in his eye.

"Indeed I am," replied Hunter with a smile. "But I must ask you this, what it is like when you first hold them in your arms? Becoming the father in that split second?"

Prowlus thought for a moment, stopping his tracks as the wind whipped wildly through the trees, making them rustle as the leaves screamed to keep their grasp on the branches.

"It's a feeling that I can barely describe," sighed Prowlus, reminiscing when he first held his daughter in his arms. "You feel like you can fly, Hunter, but with that comes a great deal of responsibility and you must be ready when it is time."

"I understand," nodded Hunter and proceeded to keep walking in the direction of the village.

The two warriors talked more about Hunter's future parenting life until another cheetah burst out of the front gate and began racing towards them at a colossal speed. She had forest green eyes surrounded by golden brown fur, shaking as she ran towards Prowlus and Hunter. Her black tear marks on her face stood prominent while her tail twitched constantly back and forth in worry.

"Shira, what is it?" demanded the cheetah chief, slightly concerned with his daughter running at such a pace.

"It's Clover," Shira said breathlessly. "She's going into labour!"

Hunter's eyes widened and his breathing was only resorted to one small intake of breath as his mind processed what was happening. His heart skipped a beat as he zoomed from his standing position and flew in through the gate of the village, leaving both Shira and Prowlus behind to think about the future.

* * *

Far away in a distant land, where echoes of past battles still remain, a great city housing thousands of inhabitants towered over the world below it and the sun beamed its rays upon the pearl white walls. Scorch marks were still present on the outer walls from the siege that had occurred many years ago.

Golden pillars of sandstone shot out from the ground and stood proud over the citizens, intricate designs were etched into its walls while a dusty blue band wrapped itself around each tower. Each tangled pillar ripped a hole through the sun's gaze, plastering a shadow on the courtyard below and capturing each rim of it onto the stone path beneath it. On one building stood two majestic statues of dragons upon bases of gold that were stationed at the edges of the building's roof. The front was coloured in the same dusty blue, almost mirroring the sky, and was encrusted with golden bars running across the sides.

The most eye-catching part of this colossal city was the grand dragon carved into the surface at the top of a fountain with its wings stretched out wide and paws sitting upon a golden bar. Amongst all of the decorations and visions that the city inhabited, nothing was more strong than the front gate itself. Two strong plates made of alloy and gold were etched into swirls and shapes of ancestral signs with a golden shaped dragon pressed into the metal just above the lock.

Towards the centre, through markets and stalls of confectionery, stood a large building taller than most and appeared to be the most maintained. A cobblestone bridge, with built up gold edgings, led the way towards a towering arch covered with words written in an ancient tongue. The dome shaped building had circular clear windows which perfectly reflected the sun's rays inside as well as a string of ancient hieroglyphs surrounding its circumference. The walls glimmered around the outside, making the building glow like fireflies in the sunlight. It was the Warfang Temple, fully rebuilt and restored to its glory.

Outside the temple, sitting next to a pearl fountain, was a young dragon with curled horns and blood red scales, complete with wing membranes which shone as the sun met them. He had a yellow underbelly and wings, glimmering as he stood next to the fountain with a confused look on his face.

"Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the Warfang temple?" the young dragon asked as a passer by came along with a cart full of fruit and vegetables.

"Sure, it's right in front of you," said the stranger with a giggle before continuing on with his morning task.

The young dragon breathed a sigh of relief before heading in the direction that the stranger pointed out. He walked up the marble staircase and looked at the door that loomed over him. He raised his paw and knocked gently on the wood, hoping an answer would soon come.

Slowly, the doors creaked open and, in their place, stood a dragon with earth-coloured scales and eyes, which also came with a smile. His beige underbelly and horns glimmered as he stood in front of the fire dragon, who he dwarfed with his presence. His mace-like tailblade swayed back and forth calmly, completely contrasting the purpose of it. He stood tall and firm, almost mimicking the statue outside. His muscles were the size of tree trunks, like he was part of nature himself.

"Ah, Inferno, you made it," said the great earth dragon, his voice booming and echoing in the ears of the dragon beneath him. "I trust you had a safe journey?"

"Yes Master Terrador, very nice indeed," Inferno said with a smile, looking into the guardian's eyes with great pride.

"Excellent! Now, we mustn't waste time. We have work to do," said Terrador, beckoning Inferno inside before closing the doors behind him.

Inferno gasped at the sight which befell in front of him. There were silver pillars with golden dragons entwining around them as they met with the decorated ceiling. A blood red carpet was laid along the floor leading to the room ahead of both him and Terrador, separating their claws from the stone ground. Several paintings were strung up to Inferno's left and right, creating a sense of decor as he entered the Temple. One was a painting of the earth dragon who was standing beside him at this very moment, looking proud and strong with a patriotic pose set on his body.

One was an ice dragon with light blue scales, eyes, wing membranes and wings who looked rather sure of himself. His icy pike-like tailblade glinted in the picture as Inferno passed him.

"That is Cyril," said Terrador, interrupting Inferno's thoughts, "the guardian of ice and a bit of a… how do I put this? Lets just say that he talks about his ancestors a lot so try not to mention that topic in front of him. We might be here all afternoon."

In yet another picture was an electric dragon who had a wide and eccentric smile. He had bright yellow scales and amber eyes; Inferno could almost sense the power on him. White streaks graced the dragon's shoulders and lower back, faint but bright enough to see. He had a dark blue underbelly and wing membranes, the colour trailing down his back until it met with a pincer-like tailblade. This dragon looked very excited for some reason, Inferno couldn't quite put his claw on it.

"Now that is Volteer," said Terrador again. "He's the youngest of us elder guardians and the guardian of electricity no doubt. He too likes to talk a lot but can get a bit too over the top sometimes. The hard part is getting him to shut that mouth, Cyril and him bicker for hours."

Inferno chuckled at Terrador's words and continued on, reaching another painting of a dragon who he had only heard stories of.

"Ignitus," he said with strong eyes, glaring at the dragon who was lived on in the form of a painting.

"Yes… you've heard the stories?"

Inferno only nodded. He was too busy gazing at the dragon who he aspired to become. Ignitus stood proud, strong and firm. Almost like Terrador when Inferno first laid eyes on him. He had bright orange scales, littered with dark red flame-like spots, and his eyes were a contour of bright orange too. He had a sandstone coloured underbelly and horns, contrasting with the blood red wing membranes and fins which streaked down his back, until the colour reached his tailblade, igniting the flame that made an appearance.

"I miss him greatly," said Terrador, his voice lower and much quieter now.

"I'm sure you do."

Inferno walked further with Terrador by his side until he reached the final two paintings either side of him. One was of a dragon with bright purple scales and a golden underbelly which linked with the colour of his horns also. Spike-like fins trailed from the top of his head, down his back before reaching a spade-shaped tailblade which was held steadily behind him. The purple dragon also had burnt orange wings, surrounded by golden wing membranes. The most appealing feature though, were his eyes. They were much like his body, but were a deeper purple and full of trust and care. He looked happy, strong and determined.

"That is the dragon who you will meet in a few short moments," beamed Terrador, looking at the dragon with pride. "This is-"

"Spyro," finished Inferno, already knowing the story of the legendary purple dragon who saved the world and began the new age.

"Indeed. If you know Spyro, then you must know who this is."

Terrador pointed out the final painting which hung on the wall. It consisted of a young dragoness, similar age to Spyro, but with shimmering emerald eyes and an ambitious aura about her. The dragoness had black scales and magenta wing membranes, matching her underbelly and wings. She had several pearl-white horns spread around her face, some markings on her forehead and under her eyes, showing shadows of the past and a series of braces bound to her forepaws, tail and a choker around her neck. Her most menacing feature, was the scythe tailblade which seemed to beckon the idea of death and would most certainly bring it to anyone who stood against this dragoness.

Inferno recognised her instantly. "Heh, this one's easy," he said with a chuckle. "Cynder."

"Indeed it is, Inferno," said Terrador with a smile.

"Aren't Spyro and Cynder mates now? Didn't they… get together in the end?"

"Ask them yourself," replied Terrador, walking over to an oak door surrounded by gold and two orbs, strangely resembling keyholes.

Terrador placed a paw on one of the holes and it began to glow green, slowly creating a clunking sound from the other side. Within seconds, the oak doors creaked open and revealed a large inner chamber teaming with light. The ceiling was covered in a large selection of lanterns, lighting the room below and filling the room with a sense of decoration. There were banners of elements hung around the outer rim of the chamber, one for earth, fire, electricity and ice.

But Inferno's eye was not fixed on the chamber itself, it was fixed on a creature who he thought he would never see in person. A purple dragon who was standing directly in the centre of the chamber, on the sandstone platform in a combat-ready position. He seemed far older than his portrait, but no less impressive. As soon as Inferno blinked, a series of projectiles consisting of ice and earth were fired at the dragon from a dispenser built into the wall in front of him, only to be completely stopped in their tracks by a scorching ray of fire emitting from the maw of the purple creature.

Inferno looked up towards Terrador who was staring at the purple dragon with pride. A series of cries snapped Inferno's attention back towards the centre of the chamber as a dozen young dragons started running towards it.

"Wow Master Spyro! That was amazing!" exclaimed one.

"You're so cool, I wanna be just like you when I grow big and strong!" announced another.

"Okay, okay. Everyone settle down," said the purple dragon, raising his paws with a chuckle. "Now then, who noticed what I did first?"

A large portion of the dragons raised their paws, each trying to raise theirs a little higher than the others'.

"Yes, Fang?"

"You got into a battle stance, sir," answered a brightly coloured dragon.

"Well spotted yes, that's the most important thing when you're encountering any enemy, you make sure you're ready for them. Understood?"

"Yes Master Spyro," the class said in unison as Terrador and Inferno wandered over.

Spyro looked up and noticed Terrador wandering over to him with a broad smile on his maw. The purple dragon returned the smile and turned back to his class.

"Now then, I want each and every one of you to practice the battle stance. I want some good results when I finish speaking to Master Terrador, okay? Off you go then!" Spyro instructed as he began to walk towards Terrador and a slightly nervous Inferno.

Spyro walked up to Terrador before giving him a hug, chuckles coming from both dragons in each others arms.

"Good to see you again, Terrador," said Spyro in a calm voice, much less stern than it was when dealing with the younglings.

"Likewise, Spyro," said Terrador with a smile.

"Who's this?" asked Spyro, looking at Inferno who's heart was pounding out of his chest.

"This is Inferno, he's going to be helping out with teaching the younglings for a bit."

"Great! Cynder and I need all the help we can get, good to meet you Inferno," said Spyro as he reached out his paw for Inferno to shake.

"A pleasure to meet the saviour of our world, Master Spyro," Inferno said with great respect as he took the paw willingly.

"Enough of the Master and saviour business, I get that enough from my class as it is," chuckled Spyro, shaking his head slightly and causing Terrador himself to chuckle. "And from Cynder."

"That you do," said a voice behind Spyro, making him jump out of his scales.

"Good morning, Cynder," said Terrador cheerily.

"Morning Terrador," Cynder said with a smile, her emerald eyes shining from the light of the room. "How's things?"

"Quite dull I'm afraid, how's the work been going?"

"I love it but… I won't lie, we could use some extra help," Cynder said, rubbing a paw across the back of her neck.

"It's funny you should say that," said Spyro. "This is Inferno; he's here to help us out."

"Oh, hello Inferno," said Cynder, stretching out a paw for Inferno to shake.

"Hello Mistress Cynder," said Inferno, politely shaking Cynder's paw and bowing his head in respects.

"Just Cynder please, I'm no more important than any other dragon."

"You are to me," said Spyro, placing a wing around her and planting a kiss on her cheek.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Inferno, a little too loudly. "Sorry."

"So word does go around huh? Guess the world knows how I swept you off your paws purple boy," teased Cynder, patting Spyro chest gently.

"You know what? I'm not gonna even try to have this argument again," chuckled Spyro as he nuzzled Cynder's neck lovingly.

"Well, that seems to have answered your question, Inferno," laughed Terrador. "Cynder, I would like you to show Inferno around and where he'll be working."

"Sure, if this purple bonehead will let go of me," joked Cynder, causing a playful gasp from Spyro.

"Well that's rude."

Cynder pulled herself away from Spyro's embrace and ushered Inferno to follow her. Terrador and Spyro were left alone with only Spyro's class to keep them company.

"Well, I suppose I should get back to it," said Spyro. "It was good to see you Terrador."

"Always a pleasure Spyro," replied Terrador before turning and leaving the training chamber.

Spyro turned back towards his class and noticed that they were all gathered around one spot and bunched together.

"What's going on here then?" questioned Spyro, pushing a couple of the younglings aside gently.

As he reached the source of all the commotion, Spyro gasped at the sight which plagued his eyes.

"Oh my ancestors…"

An ice shard was dug deep inside of one of the younglings, who was squirming and screaming on the stone floor. Blood was oozing out of the wound and slowly trickling down the sides of the wounded young dragon. Spyro knew he had to act fast.

"Right, everyone step aside," ordered Spyro, picking up the youngling in his jaws gently by the scruff. "Nobody touch anything until I get back from the infirmary. Is that understood?"

"Yes Master Spyro."

Spyro leapt into the air and flew towards one of the exits of the training room. He let out a stream of fire onto one of the orbs and the doors flung open. Spyro found himself outside and zooming through the marketplace which was bustling with dragons and moles going about their early morning shop.

"Excuse me! Purple dragon coming through!"

One poor mole didn't heed Spyro's warnings and was sent tumbling into a pile of baskets.

"Sorry Digger!"

Spyro preceded onwards until he reached a large building with a red cross painted over the top. Its glass windows reflected the light of the sun in them as Spyro flew closer to it. The entrance to the building was held up by two pearl pillars which gleamed in the sunlight. Spyro touched down in front of the entrance and made his way inside. He walked up to the administration desk with the youngling hanging in his jaws.

"This youngling needs immediate attention," said a panting Spyro with his voice slightly muffled by the youngling in his maw. "Where's Sapphire?"

"Right here, Spyro," said a low, gruff voice to Spyro's left.

Spyro turned to the direction that the voice originated from and stared at a light blue scaled dragon, with curled horns and jagged-edged tailblade.

"Sapphire, this youngling has an ice shard embedded in his side." Spyro said in a state of panic.

"Right, come with me," ordered Sapphire, rushing down one of the many corridors.

Sapphire bashed open one of the doors which led to a small oval room with a table in the centre and the smell of disinfectant filled Spyro's nostrils as he entered. To the left were cabinets filled with medical instruments and a series of flasks containing remedies to help with wounds and cuts.

"Place him on the table, quickly!"

Spyro did as he was told and placed the youngling gently onto the operating table where Sapphire could examine him.

"Is he going to be okay?" Spyro asked with hopeful eyes.

The youngling squirmed with pain as Sapphire examined him, checking that the young dragon sustained no other injuries.

"You're very lucky that the wound wasn't too deep, could've been nasty. Still he's lost a bit of blood but nothing that a few gems couldn't solve," explained Sapphire, making her way over to one of the cabinets and taking a basket of red gems out. "What's your name little one?"

"F-F-Fang," whimpered the amber scaled whelpling.

"Well Fang, I need you to be a big brave boy okay? This is going to hurt," said Sapphire in a gentle and reassuring voice.

Fang nodded slowly and braced himself as Sapphire placed a paw around the ice shard that was stuck in the young dragon's side.

"Spyro, could you come over here and hold him down for a few seconds?" Sapphire asked the purple dragon who was looking quite worried in the corner of the room.

"Y-Yeah sure."

Spyro raced over to the table and placed both paws onto Fang's lower back, and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's okay Fang, you're in safe paws," reassured Spyro.

Spyro gave Sapphire a slow nod and she slowly began to pull the ice shard free from the screaming whelpling below them. Spyro held firm paws onto Fang as Sapphire pulled the last of the shard free and placed a large cloth onto the wound.

"Well done Fang," said Sapphire, grabbing a claw full of gems and smashing them with her paw. "You should feel a bit better in a few seconds."

The small gem shards began to dissolve into the wound, sealing the cut and stopping blood from pumping out. Both Spyro and Fang breathed a sigh of relief as Sapphire placed the basket back into the cabinet and turned towards Spyro.

"He'll be okay, I'll notify his parents. What happened exactly?" the blue scaled dragon asked the youngling.

"I-I was trying to g-g-get the battle stance right and I m-might've accidentally brushed my tail up against the d-d-dispenser," blubbered the youngling, tears streaming down his face.

"I was talking to Terrador and Cynder. Next thing I know, the whole class is around him and he's got a shard in his side." confessed Spyro, slightly annoyed at himself for taking his eye off the class.

"Well that's a lesson learned for yourself Spyro, never take your eye off of a child," said Sapphire with a sly wink. "I'll let his parents know what happened, Fang can stay here to rest until they come to pick him up. Now then, you have a class to teach."

"Yeah, thanks for taking care of him," said Spyro, turning towards the door.

"My pleasure."

Spyro left the Infirmary and flew back to the Warfang Temple, mumbling to himself as he went. It was already getting towards the end of the day and he began to go quicker. He cursed himself for leaving the children unattended, and one nearly got killed because of his lack of focus. The purple dragon made his way back into the training room, to find Cynder sitting in the centre with the children sat in a circle around her.

"...Spyro leapt up into the air and let all of his power loose, saving our world as you know it today."

A sudden uproar of amazed voices sprang into life and destroyed the silence which Spyro had arrived to. It was their favourite story to hear, but it was more fun for Cynder to tell.

"I love that story!" said a youngling who was jumping up and down.

"That was amazing!" exclaimed another.

"Can you tell us the story of how you fell in love with him? I love that one!" questioned a small brown coloured dragon.

"You know what Cynder? I got this one," said Spyro, walking towards Cynder and the circle of younglings.

Spyro sat on his haunches and rested his head against Cynder's shoulder as the younglings stared at him with anticipation. Spyro was about to begin his story when a gong sounded from outside the temple, signalling the end of the day and the time for dragons to return home.

"Guess that story will have to wait until next week," said Spyro, slightly disappointed that he couldn't share his story. "That's it for today class, dismissed."

"Thank you Master Spyro," the crowd of younglings chorused as they left the building, leaving Spyro and Cynder alone in the centre chamber.

"Now where did you run off to may I ask?" asked Cynder, raising an eyebrow towards Spyro.

"To the infirmary, Fang got one of the shards from the dispenser stuck in his side," explained Spyro, causing a shocked expression to arrive on Cynder's face.

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Sapphire made sure of that," reassured Spyro, nuzzling Cynder's cheek.

Spyro turned his head away from Cynder and stared at the wall in deep thought. Cynder stared up at him, perplexed and concerned; whenever Spyro did this it always meant that he was either worried or hungry.

"What's wrong sweetie?" asked Cynder, nudging Spyro with her paw.

"Oh nothing, don't worry about it," said Spyro, shifting his weight uncomfortably and making it all the more obvious that something was wrong.

"Spyro, I've known you far too long to know when you're lying," replied Cynder. "Now tell me what's wrong or I will make you."

Spyro gulped and then let out a defeated sigh, "I feel like I'm letting everyone down. I'm still new to this guardian thing, I keep losing focus and holy ancestors Cynder, I nearly got a child killed today!"

"What happened to Fang wasn't your fault," Cynder reassured him. "These things happen Spyro, you've just got to learn from them."

"I just don't think it's that simple Cynder," said Spyro, making his way out of the training room and towards the front entrance of the temple. "Everyone looks up to me to protect them, how can I do that if I can't even protect a youngling?"

"Because you're the purple dragon Spyro, and you're not just any purple dragon. You're my purple dragon, my Spyro, and my Spyro never gives up," said Cynder, causing Spyro to smile as she nuzzled him, the sunlight blazing through the entrance of the temple and smothering them both in the sunset's rays.

"I love you Cynder."

"I love you too, you big purple dork."

Cynder raised her head and rested it just below Spyro's as the purple dragon placed his wing around Cynder to pull her closer. Both dragons held each other in a warm embrace as they watched the sunset signal the ending to a new day, and the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

* * *

**Wahey! The prologue is done! Oh man… that took way too long to write but it's finally done. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Most of you may be confused as to why this has come out before the end of Amity. The reason is because Amity was gonna take too long and also I really wanted to get this out as it's a story which is planned and ready to go. Hope you guys enjoyed it anyway though cause it did take a while. I want to thank SKda for beta-reading for me, keep being amazing my guy and I want to thank my co-writer and girlfriend Cheetah Lover for helping me out.**

**CheetahLover: Always a pleasure to help out sweetie!**

**Mystic: Aww, you called me sweetie. I'm touched.**

**CheetahLover: Shut your face.**

**Mystic: *backs away***

**CheetahLover: Hehe, love you really.**

**Mystic: Love you too.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic and Cheetah signing off... ^_^**


	2. CH1: To A Prosperous Future - Part 1

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone! We're back with another chapter. I can honestly say that I was amazed with the reception that the first chapter got, seven favourites in the first day? Damn… It just made me realise what a pleasure it is to be a part of this community with so many talented writers and nice people. I've never been happier when I wake up in the morning just after I upload a chapter and I see either a review or somebody has followed or gave one of my stories a favourite. It's the best feeling in the world and I want to thank each and every one of you who has done this already.**

**Also, a big thanks to my three reviewers already!:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- TARDIS  
\- Rose-Angels (Newcomer - Hey There!)**

**You guys are awesome and have already made my week. Just to let you guys know also, my GCSE exams have started so that is the reason why it had taken so long for this chapter to come out. It might be some time until chapter two comes out after this one so you guys are gonna have to bare with me on that. I have split this chapter in two as it would ridiculously long if I left it in one chapter so I thought it would be best if I split it up to make it easier for you. Anyway, I again want to thank SKda for beta-reading for me and Cheetah for co-writing. Hope you guys enjoy!**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 1: To A Prosperous Future - Part 1**

Spyro woke early, a soft groan pushing out of the back of his throat as his eyes struggled to open. The dramatic events of the previous day had taken its toll on the purple dragon and he was exhausted from the amount of energy he'd put in. He moved his gaze over towards the form of Cynder lying next to him and a soft smile came to his maw as he watched her sleep peacefully. Her breathing was steady, and her side rose and fell with each breath in a steady rhythm. Spyro leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, before picking himself up and slowly getting off of the bed in an attempt to not wake his slumbering mate. Spyro just stood there for a few seconds, looking at the state of their room. Although Cynder tried her best to keep it spotless, there was always something left on the floor.

Since Spyro had to account the guardians' meetings, most of the parchment that he received was just like all of the others. Discarded or left on the floor in a heap. Books were also left on the floor as the purple dragon didn't have much time to read, let alone put the book back to its original place. This was a habit which Cynder loathed about Spyro: his inability to keep a room clean. Despite all of his faults, Cynder could never deny her undying love for Spyro and it was the same for him too.

Spyro took a deep breath and started to make his way through the piles of books and papers on the floor, trying hard to not make a sound and wake Cynder. The purple dragon knew how much trouble he would get into if he woke her, he would most likely lose his head if she lost as much as a second of sleep. Spyro made it to the doorway of the bedroom and slowly made his way downstairs. A sudden idea had popped into his head as he made his way out of their room.

"Breakfast in bed," Spyro chuckled to himself. "That'll hit the spot."

Spyro walked into the kitchen with the image of Cynder's face reacting to his thoughtful action. After a few minutes of pondering and quiet sounds of annoyance, Spyro managed to make his mate the perfect breakfast. Three pieces of venison meat were placed carefully onto a pearl white plate which sat in the middle of a tray that Spyro handpicked. He then placed a pawful of blackberries in a clear container and positioned it next to the plate on the tray.

"Hmm, something's missing," he said to himself, eyeing the tray that was in his paws.

Spyro looked around for something to add the finishing touch to his work, soon spotting a rose which sat on the windowsill in a clear glass jar. He took the rose out of the jar and placed it carefully in his jaws as he put the tray of food onto one of his wings. Spyro wobbled up the stairs, being cautious not to spill or drop anything. The purple dragon reached the bedroom, opening the door with a slight squeak before taking a step inside.

As expected, Cynder was still sleeping soundly with a smile still plastered on her maw, her breathing in the same rhythmic pattern as when Spyro had left her. Spyro edged in further, not noticing the pile of elemental books he had spread across the floor in front of him. Suddenly, Spyro felt his paw give way beneath him as it slipped on one of the books, making him lose his balance and sending the tray straight onto the bed. Spyro ended up as a crumpled heap on the floor, while Cynder began to open her eyes to the succulent smell of meat. She sighed contently and gazed down at the tray which Spyro had brought her, taking a whiff of the aroma that the meat let off. She then heard a groan to her right and peered down at a certain purple dragon whose back was up against the wardrobe.

"Well… good morning Spyro," she said with a chuckle. "You slept rough."

"Good morning honey," groaned Spyro, untangling himself from his calamity and a book stuck on the end of his muzzle. "Let's just say… I did some light reading."

"Ah, I can see that," giggled Cynder getting herself out of bed, removing the book from Spyro's maw and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Cynder looked over at the tray which Spyro had recently prepared for her and gave Spyro a look of mock surprise.

"Since when did you get so good at cooking?" she asked him with a confused expression. "You didn't steal this, did you?"

"Nope, must be one of the many surprising traits which you still need to discover."

Cynder chuckled at his comment and nuzzled his cheek lovingly. Spyro returned the gesture and rested his forehead against hers, for a moment they were completely relaxed until Spyro remembered the reason why he got up that early in the first place. He picked up the tray which was resting on the bed and turned towards Cynder.

"For you, m'lady," he said with a hint of witticism and a bow.

"Why thank you sir," she said mischievously, taking the tray from him. "May I enquire as to why you have done this amazing romantic gesture?"

"Happy Anniversary, honey," cooed Spyro, nuzzling Cynder's cheek gently and picking up the rose from the floor and placing it in between one of Cynder's horns.

"Happy Anniversary, Spyro."

Cynder finished her meal within seconds, eating it with only a few mouthfuls. She made light work of the berries, gobbling them down but saving some for Spyro of course. Once she had finished, Cynder rested her head just under Spyro's and put a paw on his chest. She sighed contently and snuggled up to him, knowing that she was in her safe place.

"Thank you, not just for the breakfast in bed, but for being you and staying by my side for so long," Cynder said softly, snuggling into Spyro's chest and melting into the warmth of his body.

"No, thank you, honey. If it wasn't for you Cynder, I don't know what I would've done. One thing's for sure, I never would have made it to Malefor without you."

Spyro pulled Cynder into a passionate kiss, locking his lips with hers. It was a feeling he could never get enough of, and it was one he wanted to experience for many more years to come. Spyro pulled back from the kiss and licked his lips, getting a taste of venison meat from Cynder.

"Ancestors, that venison is good," said Spyro in a surprised tone and earning a blush from Cynder. "Aww, are you blushing?"

"No… I don't blush!" Cynder lied as she turned her face away from a chuckling Spyro.

"Is that so?" he asked playfully.

Cynder gave Spyro a cold death stare which made him shiver; she was terrifying when she did this. It either meant two things, he was in really deep trouble, or she was up to something.

"C-C-Cynder? What's w-w-wrong?" he stuttered, backing slightly away from his mate. "You know I-I-I don't like it when you d-d-d-do this."

Cynder said nothing, still keeping her evil gaze fixed on him as she advanced on the purple dragon, making Spyro fall onto his back. Spyro closed his eyes, scrunched his face up and braced himself for a slap or an outright pummeling from his mate, instead only a series of giggles came.

"Made you flinch," she said flirtatiously, causing Spyro to breathe a sigh of relief and blush a little at his helpless action. "Now who's blushing, huh?"

Spyro could only snort in shame and a bit of annoyance. Cynder had truly got him there. He pulled himself back up and shook his head in disbelief.

"You can be so cruel, you know that?" teased Spyro, the blush finally removing itself from his cheeks. "I thought you were actually going to kill me that time."

"Well… since I was corrupted for twelve years, you could say that it is warranted when it comes to you," chuckled Cynder, nuzzling his cheek. "I have to put you in your place, keep you in line as it were. Sometimes it's very hard not to slap that handsome face of yours."

"I will take that as a compliment," said Spyro, earning a chuckle from Cynder. "Now… I suggest we head out for the day, just have the entire day together. It is our Anniversary after all."

"Indeed it is," Cynder agreed, "I'm still surprised that you managed to remember."

Spyro rolled his eyes and headed towards the bedroom door, only to be stopped by the shadowy form of Cynder who made an appearance from the floor. She rested her paws on his shoulders and leaned forward, landing a small peck on Spyro's lips.

"I'm gonna take a shower," she said playfully.

"I'll clear everything up downstairs while you're in there," mumbled Spyro. "I made a bit of a mess down there."

"You go do that, your wife has to clean herself up," chuckled Cynder walking towards the bathroom door as Spyro made his way downstairs.

Cynder went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She sat there on her haunches in the middle of the black and white tiled floor for a few moments, thinking about the future. Cynder knew she wanted to take the next step in her relationship and produce a child of her own, but she did not know how her mate would react, and began to think that he would not be up to the idea of fatherhood. She leaned her head back up against the wall and closed her eyes, dreaming of the chance to mother a child. It was the one thing which she always dreamed about. Whenever she closed her eyes at night, an image of a hatchling in her paws and Spyro nuzzling her always filled her dreams. It was her heaven, her utopia, and she wanted to make it a reality.

It had been inside her head for many years. Ever since Spyro rescued a group of hatchlings from the clutches of grublin stragglers, she knew that the second he placed one in her arms, it was what she wanted: to be a mother. However, a nagging doubt always entered her mind whenever she dreamed. It was if Spyro would be up to the task of becoming a father. Her mind kept conflicting over asking him and ignoring her needs, but she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to start a family with the purple dragon she loved.

Her mind kept wandering to the hatchlings, the look in Spyro's eyes when he protected them like a father would, and how it seemed instincts took over him. Maybe she had imagined it, but she could have sworn she saw something in those wondrous purple eyes of his. A natural instinct of a purple dragon who would stop at nothing to protect the ones he loves.

Cynder exhaled slowly, trying to clear her head and think about how Spyro would react. Of course she attempted to think happy thoughts, but the doubt always seemed to return to her and it drove her mad.

Cynder gave up and opened her eyes, bringing herself back to reality before moving over towards the bathtub and turning on the shower, fighting back tears of anger as the water smothered her scales.

Meanwhile, Spyro was downstairs in the kitchen trying not to break any plates and clearing up the mess that he made while creating the early morning meal for Cynder. For Spyro, this was one of the biggest challenges he faced. Clearing up his own mess. Although the purple dragon had faced tougher challenges, Malefor or battling the remaining armies of grublins, it was very difficult for him to try not to smash anything or to put things back to where they belong.

'_These paws were made for fighting, not for cleaning,' _Spyro thought to himself as he struggled to not drop the plate that occupied his paws.

Spyro placed the plate gently on the side and just stood there for a few seconds. He noticed that Cynder had looked a bit down the previous few days, but he couldn't quite put his paw on the reasons why. He couldn't think of anyone that would have upset her lately, if they had they were most likely lying in a ditch. Spyro traced his mind back to the previous few days at work, she seemed so happy when she was teaching hatchlings. He'd never seen her smile that widely and her face so full of colour and happiness, other than the day he proposed to her. Spyro soon realised her reasons for happiness and took a sharp intake of breath.

Was he really ready to father a child, to settle down into normal life like he had been attempting to for the last twenty years? He asked himself this question, over and over while he stood in the kitchen, motionless and hearing water rushing upstairs from Cynder's shower.

'_No, I'm not ready for this,' _he confirmed in his thoughts. '_I just can't, not after Fang.'_

Spyro shook his head and accidentally knocked a plate onto the floor, smashing it into many pieces. Spyro growled at his stupidity and began to pick up the broken pieces. The purple dragon knew he wasn't accustomed to the swing of normal life, but for Cynder he was willing to try and it was proving difficult. He knew he wasn't a born cleaner or husband, but a fighter, and a good one at that. Even though he was one of the strongest dragons in the realms, he knew he could never protect Cynder like this, let alone a child of his own.

Spyro dismissed his thoughts and placed the broken crockery into the bin and continued to carefully place the remaining plates into the sink. After a while, Spyro managed to clean all the crockery in the house and smiled to himself as he stood in the centre of the kitchen.

'_Huh, not bad,' _he thought to himself. _'Not bad at all.'_

Spyro heard the shower upstairs shut off and checked one final time to see if all of the plates and cutlery were all clean as to not annoy Cynder. To his relief, his checks returned in good faith and he turned back to the doorway to await his mate. However, there was still something on the mind of the purple dragon. He knew that she wanted hatchlings, but Spyro knew that he wouldn't be up to the task, at least not yet.

Cynder trudged down the stairs, refreshed and relaxed. Although she was still thinking about the future, she knew she needed to carry on with the now, and the now was with Spyro. Cynder walked into the kitchen to find Spyro sitting in the middle of it with a rather smug grin on his face and looking pleased with himself.

"Hey, honey," beamed Spyro. "Good shower?"

"Very refreshing thanks," replied Cynder, looking around the room. "I've never seen this place so spotless."

Cynder's eyes were fixed on the cabinets which contained the sparkling crockery with their porcelain delicately polished and cleaned. A part of her was very surprised, but another part wanted to laugh at the things that Spyro did for her, including the laundry.

"Like I said before, I am full of surprising traits," said Spyro, puffing out his chest humorously.

"Oh right? Like the time you broke the front door?" joked Cynder, knowing Spyro would get fairly irritated by this.

"You know how heavy my paws are!" Spyro protested in defence. "Not my fault the handle on it broke off as soon as I touched it."

"Spyro, I'm kidding," chuckled Cynder. "You're so gullible sometimes."

Spyro merely rolled his eyes and pulled Cynder closer to him, "That's why you love me."

"True."

Spyro pushed his head forward and his lips met with Cynder's. The couple stood there for what seemed like hours in each other's embrace, relishing in the happy life that they currently inherited. It was a feeling that neither could get tired of, and it was harder to stop. Spyro reluctantly pulled away from the kiss and gazed into Cynder's deep emerald eyes. It was the one feature which he loved the most about her, he could get lost in them for hours on end and never get bored.

"I never get tired of those eyes," cooed Spyro, staring deep into them.

Cynder just smiled and stared into Spyro's eyes in return. They were so full of kindness and compassion, everything that she fell in love with was held in those eyes of his. It was no wonder amethyst was her new favourite colour.

Cynder's mind suddenly tracked back to her thoughts in the shower, she knew she had to ask him but Cynder was scared to. Not only because it was a sensitive subject, but because she didn't know how he would react.

"Cynder? You okay?" asked Spyro, noticing that Cynder's face was now locked in thought.

She took a deep breath, and steadied her nerves.

"Do you think… something's missing?" she asked him.

"Honey, what do you mean?" wondered a perplexed Spyro, turning his head in intrigue.

"It's just… very quiet in here, perhaps a… young dragon could liven it up a little?"

Spyro's heart suddenly skipped a beat. He knew this was coming, but he didn't expect it so soon.

'_What do I say? I can't hurt her. I know I'm not ready but… I can't lie to her either.'_

The purple dragon thought rapidly, searching for an answer. Cynder on the other hand was desperately waiting for one. She needed to know if Spyro could commit to a new start, a new family.

"Cynder… I… I just don't think I'm ready," stammered Spyro. "You saw what happened to Fang, I can't watch my own flesh and blood get hurt by my own stupidity."

"Spyro, how many times do I have to tell you that it wasn't your fault?!" moaned Cynder, slightly annoyed that Spyro was still dwelling on the past.

"But it was! I'm not cut out for this, I wasn't _made_ for this! A house, kids, a job. It's just not who I am," mumbled Spyro. "I was born to fight, born to _kill_. How can I raise a child knowing that that was my sole purpose?"

Cynder just sat there, hurt by his words. She'd never seen Spyro so stressed out before; it was as if mentioning hatchlings had flipped a switch. She took two steps forward and nuzzled his neck.

"I don't care what you think you were made for, all I see in front of me is a normal, handsome and incredibly infuriating young dragon who has his whole life set out in front of him," explained Cynder, resting her head on his shoulder and causing him to chuckle. "But Spyro, don't you ever think about having a family? The memories that you'll make, the things you can teach your children?"

"Of course I do but… honey I just don't know. I just… I need more time to think," Spyro replied.

"Okay, that's fine by me," smiled Cynder, nuzzling further into his neck.

"I love you," cooed Spyro, melting into Cynder's nuzzle.

"I love you too. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"Honey, if you didn't ask me then you would still be wondering about it," explained Spyro. "You can ask me anything, it doesn't matter what it is."

After finishing up in the kitchen, Spyro and Cynder left the house and began to head towards the marketplace.

That morning, the sun was beaming down upon Warfang and ricocheting off of the windows and towers that were positioned around them. Beams of light were slicing through the gaps in between the buildings, shining down on the pavement like diamonds. Spyro's eye however, was fixed upon Cynder. Her scales had never shone so bright, the blackened edges of them making Spyro's heart flutter. Her scythe tailblade was swaying from side to side as she walked in front of him, his eyes widening with each step she took. Spyro was so mesmerised by her, that he went smack-bang into a street pole with a clang, making him jolt backwards and his head throb with pain.

Cynder turned round to see Spyro lying on his back, holding the top of his head and groaning slightly. She burst out laughing, taking small intakes of breath as Spyro slowly rose to his paws again with a slight headache and an embarrassed growl. Groups of passing-by moles and young dragons stifled giggles as they walked past.

"Finally-haha-might've knocked-haha-some sense into that purple-haha-head of yours," laughed Cynder, tears forming in her eyes.

Spyro shot her a small death stare before swiping one of her legs out from underneath her and causing Cynder to fall flat on her face.

"Likewise," said Spyro with a smug grin of vengeance.

They walked some more, brushing their sides up against each other and laughing about past times. Their scales shone from the sun like a cascade of fireflies had groomed them. It was a walk that they always cherished, especially for Cynder. The market was her favourite place. It was so full of foreign sights and smells from all over the realms, rich with spices and wide variety of fruits. Her nose latched onto the smell of her sanctuary and Cynder's pace began to quicken.

"Woah! Cynder slow down! It will all still be there in a few seconds," chuckled Spyro, having to quicken his pace to keep up.

Cynder turned onto the high street and, within seconds, a wave hit her that ensnared every sense in her body. Voices that were clamouring and calling for customers to buy their wares invaded her ears and bounced against her eardrums as she took a step forward. A shockwave of smells entered her nose and made her mouth water with every intake of breath and every sizzle of frying meat. This was her graceland. This was her utopia. Although Spyro absolutely loathed the stagnatious idea of shopping, he did like the way that Cynder was so engrossed in it. How she found potential in everything she bought and how she could make the most amazing things. Even Spyro sometimes found himself buying something to create a structure of his own.

"Can you smell that?" Cynder sighed in satisfaction. "All those amazing smells. Mmm, this is the life, baby."

Spyro took a sniff of the air and his mouth began to water. "Mmm, indeed it is."

Cynder found herself following the smell to a nearby stall, where a familiar mole was standing hunched over and beady-eyed. His crinkled snout was buried in a tattered book which was positioned centrally on the stall. He was reading intently, uttering the words of the book under his breath as he turned each page with a gnarled and worn finger.

"Good morning, Digger," Cynder beamed wildly.

The mole quickly snapped the book shut and placed it under the stall in quick succession, "Ah! G-good morning, Mrs. Cynder."

"Got anything new? I smelt something amazing as I came in," enquired Cynder as her emerald eyes frantically traced along the stall, looking for any sign of a new feature.

"As a matter of fact, I do," said Digger smugly, pulling out an icy case from under the stall.

Meanwhile, Spyro was looking around for something to preoccupy himself while Cynder went about her daily shop. Although he didn't mind her coming to the market, it did get quite boring for him at times. His eyes wandered over to a forge at the end of the street, making his mind track back to a few days ago when he placed a very special order.

"Honey, I'm just gonna go for a wander round," said Spyro. "Survey the perimeter as it were."

"Okay, sure. I'll come and find you when I'm done."

Spyro gave Cynder a small kiss on the cheek before turning to the blacksmith's forge which was at the other end of the market. Spyro took each step with pride, getting a 'good morning' from passers-by as he went. Freedom was bliss for the purple dragon. Although, at points he questioned if he deserved to be free since he had been fighting for most of his life. But with Cynder, he had never been happier. It was as if Cynder had made him a completely different dragon, even beginning to think that he could father a child. Spyro maintained a broad smile on his face as he passed groups of dragons, moles and a few cheetahs each bearing features which made them unique. One thing that connected these creatures together was their happiness and their trust in life.

Spyro reached the forge and walked up to the counter before addressing a dragon with dusty red scales covered in ash and fire orange eyes. Particles of ember and dust from the forge stung Spyro's eyes as he cleared his throat to get the attention of the burly dragon that stood before him.

"I placed an order a few days ago," Spyro stated.

"Name?" the dragon questioned in a deep, booming voice.

Spyro was a tad shocked at the fact that this dragon knew nothing of his past or legend. It was as if his scale colour meant nothing to him.

"Um… Spyro."

Covered in soot and embers, the red-scaled dragon picked up a clipboard and began to scan through it. He trailed a claw down a list of names, mumbling Spyro's name as he continued down the list.

"Ah! An order for one Mr Spyro. May I ask who the lucky dragoness is?" asked the dragon with a singed eyebrow raised.

"Cynder," Spyro admitted. "It's our anniversary today."

"Well my best to you and your mate on your anniversary," beamed the dragon before placing a small wooden box onto the counter.

Spyro picked up the box and unhinged the silver buckle which held the lid on top, slowly lifting it up to see if the contents he desired were inside. His bright amethyst eyes lit up as he saw what was inside, glittering as the sun beamed down upon them.

"They're perfect, thank you," gasped Spyro, soon realising that he needed to pay for them. "How much do I owe you?"

"Six gold pieces please," said the blacksmith with a smile.

Spyro picked out six gold coins from a pouch on his hind leg before handing them to the blacksmith.

"Have a good anniversary now," said the blacksmith, keeping the same smile.

Spyro returned the smile and began to walk back to where he left Cynder, placing the box in a small pouch that he had. The streets were bustling with creatures, it was the busiest he'd ever seen it. However, amidst all the crowd, Spyro managed to spot his black-scaled dragoness, peering over a stall to see what wares there were to buy.

Cynder was very picky when it came to the market; she never got anything that seemed damaged or even the slightest bit mouldy. This was another thing that Spyro loved about Cynder: how careful and observant she was. Spyro continued to walk closer, being cautious to not walk into any of the surrounding creatures.

"Hey sweetie," grinned Cynder, her speech muffled by a small paper bag which she held in her maw. "What's that you got there?"

"Nothing much, just materials for something that I'm working on," lied Spyro, hoping that Cynder would leave the matter alone. "What you want to do now? See how Inferno is doing?"

"Yeah, why not?" agreed Cynder as she started to make her way towards the temple, curious to see how their new recruit was getting on.

Spyro and Cynder walked up the temple steps with Spyro leading the way, their tails entwined. It was a sensation that Spyro never got tired of, a feeling that he could never forget. It made him feel more at one with Cynder, and it was the same for her.

The two dragons ascended the temple stairs at a brisk pace and came face-to-face with the dominating entrance that loomed over them. Just as Spyro's paw was about to make contact with the door, a sudden force caused the door to fly open and smack Spyro right in his maw, causing the purple dragon to tumble down the never-ending stairs. Cynder had the wits about her to stand slightly away from the doorway so she was safe from the red blur that spewed out of the temple at an ungodly velocity.

Spyro let out a loud yelp as he landed with a thud at the bottom of the staircase, a familiar red dragon on top of him.

"Well… good morning Inferno," gasped Spyro.

"Ah! Master Spyro, I-I-I'm so s-s-sorry," stammered a flustered Inferno who was sweating and mildly out of breath.

"It's fine but I must ask you this, why do you look like you've been ambushed?" Spyro asked with his eyebrow raised.

"That's why!" Inferno shouted as he tried to scramble to his paws but was unsuccessful.

Spyro peered his head over Inferno's wriggling body and spotted an army of fifteen multi-coloured blurs that were in the shape of hatchlings. His eyes widened when he realised they were headed straight for them!

"Ancestors, protect me!" Spyro exclaimed playfully as he too tried to get up on his paws, but it was too late.

"BUNDLE!" the younglings screamed in unison as they ran towards the red and purple mess on the floor.

Spyro didn't even have a second to react before about seven hatchlings collided into his body and made him hit the ground. Cynder on the other hand was quite enjoying the fiasco that was unfolding before her. She merely folded her forepaws and leaned up against the door that had remained open. Spyro and Inferno started to howl with laughter as the hatchlings began to move their claws against their sides.

"C-C-Cynder! Help!" yelped Spyro as he wriggled around.

"Nah, I'm quite alright watching you beg sweetie," Cynder retorted as a chuckle escaped her maw. "Seems like you're doing a good enough job anyway."

"CYNDER!"

"Alright, alright! Come on class, let Master Spyro and Inferno breathe please," said Cynder with a stern voice and clapping her paws twice.

The hatchlings soon clambered off Spyro and Inferno, allowing them to once again breathe, and gathered in front of Cynder.

"So, how's your first day going Inferno?" asked Cynder with an eyebrow raised.

"How do you think?" wheezed Inferno. "How in the ancestor's name do you handle them?"

"With a firm voice," Cynder replied with a shrug. "You've just got to have confidence."

Inferno seemed lost, a blank expression came upon his face like he had been hit with a frying pan. He'd spent the entire morning trying to get the class under control, it seems that he had used more energy in one morning than he had in his entire lifetime. Inferno let out a small groan and turned towards Spyro.

"How do you and Cynder do it?" pleaded Inferno. "I try to get them under control but it never seems to work."

"Don't worry, when I first started I was just as bad as you," reassured Spyro, chuckling as he thought of how useless he was at keeping hatchlings in check. "Just use a firm voice like Cynder said but remember that they are still very young but have a lot to learn."

"I'll try," said Inferno with a nod before turning to his class. "Right, come on class let's get inside and continue with battle stances."

Ignoring Inferno's instructions, the class of hatchlings kept an uproar of noise as Inferno began to lose his temper.

"CLASS!" he thundered, silencing the class of hatchlings and making Spyro and Cynder jump out of their scales.

Inferno only smiled smugly as his class started to walk back into the temple, going past a wide-eyed Spyro and Cynder.

"How was that?" asked Inferno, holding his smug grin.

"Uhh… good," said Cynder, still a little shocked at his outburst.

"Great! Well… I should get back to it, thanks for… helping me out," smiled the red-scaled dragon.

"Happy to help," beamed Spyro before turning towards Cynder and giving a small wave to Inferno as he closed the doors to the temple.

"Well… that went well," said Cynder smugly, turning her eye to a still flustered Spyro.

"Ahem… yeah, never knew Inferno had it in him."

Spyro reached the bottom of the staircase and turned back towards Cynder. She seemed deep in thought, as if someone had thrown a rock at her face.

"Cynder? You okay?" asked Spyro, tilting his head slightly.

"Wha-oh yeah, I'm fine," stuttered Cynder, wanting to change the subject. "What else have you got planned for me today purple boy?"

"Well… why don't you head home and get yourself ready? I'll come back once I've found us somewhere to go for dinner," Spyro suggested, earning a smile from Cynder.

"Okay, don't be too long though. You know I don't have much patience," Cynder reminded him as she turned back in the direction of their house.

"Oh I know that for a fact, you've made it perfectly clear in the past."

Cynder giggled at his words and nuzzled his cheek lovingly before continuing the short walk back to their house. Spyro wandered down the high street, looking for a perfect place to have their anniversary dinner. Even though his mind was racing with thought, it was enjoying the experience of calmness and satisfaction… for now.

* * *

**There we have it people! Part one of chapter one is now out. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I'm sorry this took so long to come out, It's been really busy with exams and everything but I only have more exam to go so there's plenty of chapters on the way. Also, I'd like to thank SKda for doing such a good job at beta-reading and Cheetah for co-writing, you guys are insane. Also, I want to thank everyone who has followed this story already, it's amazing to think that my works are getting this much of a reception so I want to thank each and every one of you who have already followed and reviewed, you guys are amazing.**

**I hope you enjoyed the new part to the chapter and have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic and CheetahLover, Signing off… ^_^**


	3. CH1: To A Prosperous Future - Part 2

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. This is part two of chapter one and I am so excited to show you guys this as I'm sure many of you will love it. I have now finished my GCSEs so I have plenty of time to write and I can honestly say that not having any school for two months is gonna be bliss. Anyway, I want to say thanks to all of my reviewers so far:**

**\- IllusionMaster**

**\- DonnyFire**

**\- TARDIS**

**\- Dragon of Mystery**

**Thanks so much for all of your kind words and I'll be sure to not disappoint you in later chapters. Just a quick thanks to SKda for beta-reading and Cheetah for co-writing. I hope you guys enjoy this new part to the chapter! **

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 1: To A Prosperous Future - Part 2**

Spyro approached his house, a lump in his throat and his nerves jangling. It was a while since he had felt this way; he hadn't felt like this since he had proposed to Cynder all those years ago. Spyro looked in a puddle which was positioned just on the side of the street to check his appearance. He had a rather large sweat going on, and he looked troubled and terrified. The purple dragon swallowed hard and started walking up to the front door, hoping he had found the right place for himself and Cynder to spend the perfect anniversary dinner.

Inside, Cynder was also terrified. She'd spent most of the afternoon, like Spyro with finding a restaurant, making sure that she looked perfect for her husband. Her breathing was heavy and she too was nervous. She peered into the mirror at the figure that reflected back at her. She hardly recognised herself; it was as if she didn't know her own reflection.

Meanwhile, Spyro held up his paw and knocked gently on the front door, causing a gasp from Cynder who was frantically adding some final touches to her appearance. Spyro chuckled to himself as he heard Cynder rush down the stairs before his chuckles were drowned out by a gasp as Cynder opened the door. He had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life. Cynder's polished scales were shining brighter than ever and her horns were gleaming a pearl white. The rose, which Spyro had placed in her horns earlier that day, still remained in its original position. Her eyes however, completely mesmerised him. Spyro just stood still, frozen like a statue. His mouth agape and his eyes fixed on his mate.

"Cynder… you… you look beautiful," gasped Spyro.

"You think so? I think I overdid it," Cynder said nervously, holding a small smile.

"No, not at all. You look stunning honey."

Cynder chuckled and looked down at her paws. Spyro noticed this and merely lifted her head up so his eyes met hers. Both dragons just stood and smiled, gazing at each other with pure love. Spyro's heart was pounding out of his chest, continuing to beat faster as he stared at his wife. Cynder leaned forward slowly and locked her lips with his. Spyro sighed as the sensation sent a shiver down his spine, making him more passionate. After a few seconds, Cynder reluctantly pulled away and began walking down the street with Spyro following close behind.

"So… where you taking me purple boy?" asked Cynder playfully, raising her eyebrow slightly.

"Just a little spot that I found earlier," replied Spyro smugly. "It's quite nice actually."

"Lead the way then."

Spyro and Cynder walked through Warfang's streets, greeting every passer-by that was heading home from their long day. The sun was already setting and just peeking over one of the watch towers that were stationed around the city. Only a part of it touched the chests of the two dragons as it cut the street in two. One side light, the other darkness.

Spyro kept walking until he stopped abruptly next to a small shop that was positioned not that far from the market they had been to that morning.

"Here we are," said Spyro, stopping outside of the door. "I've heard it's quite nice actually."

"Well if you chose it then it must be," said Cynder with a sly wink.

"What's that supposed to mean?" chuckled Spyro, opening the door for Cynder.

"Oh nothing, now come on, I'm starving."

Spyro went up to the reception desk with his tail coiled around Cynder's. A small, crinkled mole appeared from behind the counter and her eyes lit up instantly when she saw Spyro and Cynder both standing in front of her with broad smiles.

"By the ancestors! The saviour of Avalar is in my restaurant!" exclaimed the young mole before screaming and running down the street.

Cynder chuckled to herself, trying not to burst out laughing at the mole's overreaction. After a few moments, the mole returned rather out of breath. She pushed herself up onto her stool and began to talk to Spyro and Cynder again.

"We would like a table please," Spyro said politely.

"Of course, ahem… right this way please."

The mole led them upstairs to a rooftop where there were a few tables lined up neatly against the back wall. A decorated silver balcony was lined out in front of the dragon couple, the sky painted a burnt orange as the sun began to emit it's last rays of the day. Cynder gasped at the beauty of the setting and turned towards Spyro with a tear of joy in her eye. Spyro gave her a sweet smile and nuzzled her cheek before following the mole to nearby table.

"Your table Master Spyro," said the crinkled mole respectfully.

Spyro was surprised at the effort that was put in. The table was covered in a silk cloth, decorated with small rose petals and a scented candle that filled their nostrils with a smell of strawberries.

"This is wonderful," said Spyro. "Thank you um…"

"Itchy," said the mole with a sense of pride.

"Well… thank you Itchy, this is beautiful," said the purple dragon with gratitude as he made himself comfortable.

"My pleasure, if you ever need anything just ring the bell," Itchy said as she placed a small metal bell on the table and walked back through to the reception area.

Spyro and Cynder sighed gently and picked up a piece of parchment which was labelled 'menu'. Spyro scanned through it, trailing a claw down the selection of dishes and muttering to himself. Cynder on the other hand, was watching him with a broad smile and chuckling to herself.

"You think too much," chuckled Cynder, leaning over the table and planting a small kiss on his cheek.

"Well I had to think about what I said when we first got together," said Spyro with a goofy grin.

"You were so nervous," laughed Cynder, remembering the young Spyro that tentatively asked her for a flight with him.

"You have no idea."

Spyro also remembered how he felt on the day when he revealed his feelings to Cynder. Cynder was right, he was nervous. He was also scared and frightened of what she might think.

"I saw it as soon as I asked you if you liked me," Cynder stated while Spyro was deep in thought.

"So I recall."

Spyro did the only thing that he could: tell the truth. Now, many years later, Spyro was now bonded to her and he never wanted to be parted from the love of his life.

"I wouldn't have it any other way sweetie," cooed Cynder. "Thank you."

"For what?" asked Spyro, slightly intrigued as to what he had done for receiving the thanks.

"For being the greatest dragon in the realms and loving me as much as you do. I never imagined that I would have someone like you in my life and it's just incredible to think that I'm lucky enough to have you. Ancestors, I don't deserve you," explained Cynder, causing Spyro to smile even wider than he usually does.

"Well… it's not hard honey, especially when it comes to you. You've become my life now, my whole life. You're so amazing Cynder, so brave and strong and your heart is just so full of love it's just… a wonder how I didn't fall for you earlier. But it's not you who doesn't deserve me, it's me who doesn't deserve you. Ancestors, I didn't even know what love was until you came along. You taught me how to love, Cynder and for that, I love you even more than you know."

Cynder couldn't stop tears of joy from appearing in her eyes. She whimpered slightly and gave Spyro the most passionate kiss she could, melting into his touch. Spyro never felt happier, his body was powered by joy and love that could run for fifty lifetimes. Cynder pulled back a little, trying to remove her lips from his but Spyro was having nothing of it and pushed her head back to its original position. He didn't want to let this feeling go. It was too wonderful and far more enjoyable.

"Spyro… I need to breathe," said a muffled voice.

Spyro let Cynder's head go and she returned back to her side of the table. Spyro was a tad bit flustered and Cynder could see this.

"Get you all excited did I?" Cynder asked playfully.

"Oh hush you, right come on, let's order."

Spyro picked up the small bell that was given to him earlier and rang it gently. As soon as he put the bell back down, Itchy came bounding up the staircase towards them with a small notebook and quill. After a few seconds, Spyro and Cynder placed their orders and watched the waiter walk back downstairs. Spyro looked at his surroundings, it was quiet and peaceful. There were no guests other than himself and Cynder, perfect for their time together.

"Have you heard any word from Sparx?" Cynder asked Spyro, making his attention snap back towards her.

"No, not for a while now. Last I heard of him he'd got himself a girl," mumbled Spyro, slightly saddened by the subject.

Cynder noticed his sudden change in expression and raised her paw to lift his head up to her. "Hey, it's okay, he'll talk to you soon."

Spyro smiled and gave Cynder a small nod but was soon distracted by the smell of the food which was being brought up the stairs. Spyro and Cynder thanked Itchy for her services and they began to eat their anniversary meal.

Spyro and Cynder sat together for hours, taking small bites out of their meal as to savour the time. It was bliss for them, pure and utter bliss. Freedom was their joy and it was sweet. Spyro finished the last bit of his meal as Cynder was chewing on her last bite also.

"Cynder, what do you love about me?" asked Spyro, causing Cynder to tilt her head slightly.

"That's a very easy question Spyro, why you ask?"

"I just want to know; it's a boy thing shall we say."

Cynder cleared her throat and prepared herself to tell Spyro the long list of things that she loved about him.

"Well… do you want the list?" teased Cynder.

"Of course."

"The first one is easy, your eyes. They're just incredible and I get lost in them every time I look at them. Everything else is easy. Your incredibly accident prone nature, that goofy smile that you always have and your undying love for me. Spyro, I've never loved anyone as much as I love you, you're the dragon that saved me from the darkness and… I would die for you if I could. I just love you so much and never want to lose you."

Spyro felt a few tears make their appearance in his eyes. Cynder had truly reached and stolen his heart.

"Cynder… I… I'm speechless," gasped Spyro, wiping a tear away with a claw.

"Bit much?"

"No, it was perfect, you're perfect," cooed Spyro, nuzzling Cynder's cheek lovingly.

Cynder sighed and relaxed against Spyro's weight, a broad smile growing ever wider on her maw. Spyro pulled away and took a moment to gaze into the eyes that he fell deeper in love with as each day passed. Those emerald eyes. Those lush and wondrous emerald eyes. They kept getting more beautiful every day for the purple dragon.

Spyro suddenly grinned as an idea popped into his head. He knew how much Cynder loved flying, especially with him. But he also knew that she loved it at night.

"Hey, I have an idea," grinned the purple dragon down at his mate.

"What is this idea?" replied Cynder with intrigue.

"How about we go for a flight. You're always telling me that you love flying with me and want to do it more often so… how about it?"

"Baby, I thought you'd never ask."

Spyro and Cynder thanked Itchy for her services and walked back onto the now lamp-lit streets. It was almost eerie seeing it this quiet; seeing the streets bathed in moonlight. Cynder adjusted the strap of her bag making sure it was secure before smiling to Spyro. Spyro returned the smile and thrust himself into the air with a beat of his wings. Cynder soon followed suit and found herself high in the sky next to the purple dragon she loved.

Spyro stopped beating his wings for a moment and reached it out, barely touching the end of it with Cynder's. They were flying horizontally, stealing glimpses at each other as their wingtips met. Cynder could feel tears of joy come to her eyes. She never felt happier, one of her favourite dreams was coming true. Spyro suddenly flung himself upwards, embedding himself completely in the sea of clouds above until he was no longer visible. Cynder followed him and was soon completely in awe of the vision that was before her.

Spyro was surrounded by thousands of beaming stars, shining down on his scales and lighting up Cynder's eyes with amethyst light. Spyro's eyes were closed, and he was floating weightlessly before Cynder like he was at one with the sky. Cynder gradually flew up to him and Spyro opened his eyes slowly before bringing Cynder closer to him. For a moment, both dragons were suspended in the air and staring into each other's eyes.

"I love you," whispered Cynder in Spyro's ear.

"I love you too," replied Spyro, before bringing Cynder into another kiss that sealed their perfect night.

With the stars twinkling around them, the dragons of legend remained in their embrace, their hearts beating in unison. Spyro pulled away and stared at Cynder for a few moments. She seemed so happy. There were tears of joy in her eyes and there was a smile that Spyro hoped would never disappear.

"Come on, I know a place where we can go next," Cynder said, taking Spyro's paw and flying in the direction of her mysterious place.

Spyro and Cynder came out of the clouds and began to head to a small hill on the outskirts of the city. Spyro knew exactly why Cynder had chosen this place, it was where he proposed to her. Cynder landed with Spyro close behind and laid herself down by the tree. Spyro walked slowly over to her and laid himself down with his side touching hers. Cynder slowly entwined her tail with Spyro's and rested her head upon his shoulder.

"Cynder? Am I doing a good job?" asked Spyro, causing Cynder to raise her head a little.

"What do you mean Spyro?" questioned a perplexed Cynder.

"Am I making you happy like I promised you I would?"

"Of course you are, stupid! Spyro, if you're thinking that you're useless again I might actually kill you this time."

Spyro gulped and looked at the sky. Apart from thinking that he wasn't very good at domestic life, he missed Ignitus greatly.

"You miss him don't you?" asked Cynder, seeing the sorrow in Spyro's eyes.

"Yeah, every day."

"He's with the ancestors now Spyro, they'll take care of him."

Spyro smiled weakly and nuzzled Cynder's cheek. Suddenly, Spyro felt he had forgotten something but couldn't quite put his paw on it.

"Oh ancestors on high!" cursed Spyro, slapping himself on the forehead and making Cynder jump.

"Ancestors Spyro, what is it now? You scared the scales off me," moaned Cynder, still recovering from having a heart attack.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit. Erm… Cynder I need to go and get something very quickly, can you stay here?" pleaded Spyro, now getting rather nervous.

"Sure sweetie but what are you getting?"

"You'll see."

Spyro took off and sped towards the house, rocketing through the streets and detaching any dust that clung on to the buildings as he sped past them. Meanwhile, Cynder was waiting patiently at the hill, staring at the sky.

'_Still the same Spyro, always forgetting something," _Cynder chuckled in her thoughts. _'Let's see if I can surprise him when he gets back."_

Minutes later, Spyro arrived at the house and began searching for the box that he had obtained from the blacksmiths that same day.

'_Why do I always forget something? Urh… useless, useless, useless!'_

Spyro kept searching until he found it sitting upon one of the shelves in the living room. He grabbed it and sped out of the front door, rocketing back into the sky and heading straight for the hill where he left Cynder. Spyro reached the hill, slightly out of breath and carrying the box with one paw.

"Forget something again?" joked Cynder, getting a look of disapproval from Spyro.

"This I couldn't just leave, I need to give this to you tonight."

Spyro held out the box and Cynder gazed at it with wide eyes. Spyro had a look in his eyes that he was proud of what he'd done, but Cynder was going to be the judge of that. Cynder gave Spyro a small smile before taking the box from him.

"I should've got these a long time ago," said Spyro. "Go ahead Cynder."

Cynder unclipped the lock and opened the lid with a gasp. Inside was a necklace with one side made of an amethyst purple and a dragon that resembled half of the yin and yang symbol. On the other side was a glittering symbol of a black dragoness coiled around the purple side.

"Oh Spyro…" gasped Cynder.

"Here, you haven't seen the best bit yet."

Spyro waved his hand along it and the necklace split in two, leaving two separate necklaces.

"One for me and one for you, or you can keep it just for yourself."

"Why are you so good to me?" asked Cynder.

"Because I love you, and you're worth it," cooed Spyro, waving his hand again to put the necklace back in one piece.

"Well, while you were galavanting off I managed to put a little something together myself."

Cynder led Spyro round to the other side of the tree and was soon surprised by a red blanket with two small candles on either side. The same number of glasses were positioned at opposite sides of the blanket and a bottle containing a strange liquid was positioned in the middle.

"This is lovely honey, what's in the bottle?" asked Spyro, turning his gaze towards Cynder.

"Champagne of course!" exclaimed Cynder.

"Champagne?" Spyro said with a small hint of concern in his voice.

"Spyro, have you never had champagne?" Cynder questioned him, completely dumbfounded how he had never tried this alcoholic beverage.

"No, but I've seen Timber and Frisia drink it."

"Well, tonight you're gonna try some."

Cynder popped open the bottle and began pouring the amber beverage into the glass. Spyro watched it fizz and bubble as the froth nearly passed over the top of the glass, each bubble's life ending in a second as each one popped.

"Cynder, I'm not sure about this," Spyro said tentatively as he watched Cynder pour another glass.

"Don't worry, it's not gonna kill you is it?"

Spyro picked up the glass that Cynder had poured for him and sniffed it curiously. It smelled bitter and strong, almost stinging his nose as he inhaled it's scent, causing him to sneeze.

"Bless you," Cynder chuckled. "Happy Anniversary."

"Happy Anniversary, honey."

Spyro and Cynder tapped their glasses together with a clink and slowly began to drink. Cynder gulped it down in seconds, whereas Spyro was still looking at it nervously. He took a deep breath and sipped the beverage. It tasted exactly how it smelled. Bitter and incredibly strong. Spyro spat out the liquid, spraying it all over the blanket, candles and an unfortunate Cynder who was unable to react in time.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that," coughed Cynder, wiping the mixture of champagne and spit from her face.

"Cynder, I am so sorry," spluttered Spyro, coughing as he tried to remove the bitter taste in his mouth. "I thought it wouldn't end well!"

"You don't say."

Cynder chuckled and drank the remainder of her champagne in one swift gulp. Spyro was surprised how quickly Cynder drank it. Although, he did know that Cynder did like the most exotic foods so it wouldn't be a surprise if she liked exotic drinks too. Spyro leaned himself up against a tree with Cynder leaning on his chest and snuggling her head. She sighed into his warmth and stared up at the stars, their light shining in her eyes.

"Spyro?" Cynder said as a thought popped into her head.

"Mmm?"

"Do you ever think about finding your real parents? As in, if they're still alive?"

Spyro's eyes slowly opened. It dawned on him that he had never thought about his actual birth parents since he found out he was a dragon. Since then, he'd never thought about where he came from or who his birth parents actually were. He had only been used to the fact that he had been raised by Flash and Nina, his dragonfly parents. But since then, he had never thought about the dragon parents that conceived him.

"No, not really Cynder," Spyro answered with a hushed and quiet tone. "Not for a while actually, why you ask?"

"I've never had parents, not even foster ones," Cynder said solemnly, causing Spyro to gaze down upon her with sympathetic eyes. "I've never even had a proper family until I met you."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore Cynder, we've got each other and that's all that matters."

Cynder gazed once more at the stars, thinking about what Spyro had said about Ignitus earlier.

"Do you reckon our parents are up there somewhere? Watching over us with Ignitus?"

"I'm sure they are Cynder, I'm sure they are."

Cynder shuffled herself in Spyro's grasp, resting her head a little below his chin and placing a paw on the centre of his chest. Spyro's mind was racing with thoughts of his birth parents. What they would be doing, where they were and did they still remember him. The night of the raid took away his chance of ever seeing them. Ignitus was the one dragon who seemed a fatherly figure for him and it broke his heart when he lost him.

"We should get some sleep," Cynder said wearily. "I can barely keep my eyes open."

"You're right," agreed Spyro while yawning. "Haven't slept under the stars in a while so I guess this is a trip down memory lane."

"I guess so, goodnight baby."

"Goodnight Cynder, sweet dreams," cooed Spyro as Cynder closed her eyes and began to drift off to a peaceful sleep.

Spyro looked up at the shining stars above one more time and smiled gently.

"Goodnight Ignitus," Spyro said softly before resting his head on top of Cynder's and closing his eyes to succumb to the perfect feeling of peaceful sleep.

* * *

**There we have it! Part two is now done! Sorry this is so short, but it necessary to split it up into two as you guys would end up forgetting what most of the chapter was about if I left it in one, beings it would be so long. Anyway, sorry for the wait. I've finished GCSEs and I've been busy with being a boyfriend and recording stuff for YouTube. But don't worry, the next chapter will be easy to write so it should be out earlier and with less of a wait. Hope you guys enjoyed this part to the chapter!**

**And I also hope that you have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic and Cheetah signing off… _**


	4. CH2: Normal Day, Normal Life

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. You guys never cease to amaze me with how much support you put in and the kind words and amazing reviews that you have left. It's because of you that I am writing this and you keep driving me to get better and better so I want to say thank you to all of you who have reviewed so far. Also, thank you to all of these people who have reviewed the previous chapter and filled them with positive words:**

**\- IllusionMaster (of course)  
****\- Dragon of Mystery  
****\- TARDIS (My fellow Doctor Who lover)  
****\- Jos vitor  
****\- HolyCross**

**Thanks so much for enjoying Cheetah's and my book and we will not disappoint you. Hope you all enjoy this chapter and without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Normal Day, Normal Life**

A small fraction of warmth and sunlight awoke the purple dragon from his peaceful slumber; sighing in satisfaction from his fair share of sleep. Spyro looked down to his shoulder to find Cynder breathing steadily and snuggled into his warmth. Spyro had always loved this, waking up in the morning to see his mate lying on his safe place. It was the one thing which made him whole, the one thing that he fights for.

Spyro surveyed his surroundings, realising that they had fallen asleep on the hill rather than in the comfort of their own home. The events of last night were still embedded in his mind, clear as day. Seeing Cynder in the moonlight and that sweet smile just showed how unbelievably strong his love for her was and nothing could ever take that fact away. Spyro felt Cynder shift in his embrace and nuzzled her head to calm her. She opened her eyes slowly and found her gaze filled with the amethyst eyes which she loved so dearly.

"Good morning," she said wearily, closing her eyes again.

"Morning, sleepyhead," whispered Spyro soothingly, nuzzling Cynder's forehead.

"Guess we were so tired that we forgot we even had a house," chuckled Cynder, her eyes barely open.

"Seems fitting since we didn't actually have one until after the war," Spyro stated, his eyes glazing over with memories of the many battles he endured.

Cynder begrudgingly hauled herself onto her legs and stretched out her paws in front of her. Her canines caught the glint of the sun as Spyro smiled with wonder at the black dragoness in front of him.

"Looks like someone needed that stretch," Spyro chuckled as his eyes roamed over her.

"Yeah, and don't think I don't see where those eyes of yours are going," Cynder remarked as she flicked her tail gently across Spyro's face.

Spyro felt his cheeks and stomach burn. His breathing increased rapidly and he felt himself flush with tingling sensations of a sensitive nature.

"What was that for?!" Spyro feigned confusion as he dramatically placed his paw over his heart.

"Don't even try to pull that crap with me," Cynder smiled as she stretched her wings out and flapped them a couple of times before placing them back on her side.

"Can't get anything past you can I?" Spyro quipped as he stood up and stretched before walking beside her.

"Nope, now... how about breakfast?" Cynder asked as she wiggled her eyebrows knowing how Spyro reacted to food.

"YES! I mean… I thought you'd never ask."

Cynder chuckled at Spyro's reaction, remembering how he always thought with his stomach rather than his head.

"First though, I need a bath. I've got dirt all in my scales," Cynder turned her head and sniffed her wing and recoiled with a disgusted look on her face.

"Race you!" Spyro shouted as he sprung into the air and rushed towards their house.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Cynder shouted as she tried to catch up to Spyro.

The pair soared through the sky at breakneck speeds, tearing through the clouds around them. Cynder had managed to catch up to the purple dragon and decided to fly underneath him as she moved her tail to his stomach and started tickling him. The sudden sensation caused Spyro to lose control and made him fall through the sky for a few seconds before regaining his composure.

"See you at the house!" Cynder taunted as she continued to fly.

"Oh it's on, Cynder!" Spyro smiled with a playful look in his amethyst eyes.

He flew as fast as he could until he spotted a cave that would take him near the house. He dived down and gained as much speed as he could before entering the mouth of the cave. As he weaved in between rock formations he realised how much he had missed the exhilaration of a race, the wind in his face, his heart racing, the adrenaline pumping and all just to prove a point to his beloved. A light at the end of the cave showed him he was near the end. The sun blinded him for a second before Spyro gained his bearings and spied a black blur dash above him and soon caught up to her.

"Hey slowpoke," Spyro chuckled at Cynder's reaction as she nearly fell out of the sky.

"Ancestors, Spyro! You gave me a heart attack!" she gasped as she balanced herself out.

"That was the plan," Spyro smugly smiled as he pulled ahead in front of Cynder and landed gracefully in front of their house.

"Rude," Cynder stated as she placed herself beside Spyro.

"Maybe, but at least I won the race," He grinned as Cynder pushed him to the side with her wing causing the purple dragon to chuckle.

Cynder opened the door and welcomed the sight and comfort of home. A slight chill came to her as she took a step in, soon realising that the window had been left open overnight.

"Sweetie, did you leave the window open when you came out?" Cynder asked Spyro, who also felt how cold the house had become overnight.

"Maybe," mumbled Spyro as he waddled over to the window to close it.

"Well, while you're warming the house up I'm going to have a bath," said Cynder, rolling her eyes and with a small grin on her face.

"Alright, I'll make us some breakfast."

As Cynder made her way up the stairs, Spyro got work on preparing breakfast. He had grown accustomed to preparing meals for his wife, it seemed that he was starting to live the life that he thought he would never get used to. The purple dragon grabbed a tray from one of the cabinets and placed a bunch of berries with a small scented candle perched on the edge. Carefully, he made his way up each step, trying not to make a repeat of the previous morning.

As he reached the top of the stairs, Spyro opened the bathroom door, the tray holding the berry platter balanced carefully on his wings. Cynder sat up in the bathtub, giving him a sly smile as she saw the tray on his wings.

"Don't you dare drop that this time, mister," she said teasingly.

"Oh I won't, don't worry," Spyro said, walking forward and placing the tray next to the bathtub gently, keeping his eyes fixed on the tray as he tried to keep it balanced.

Once he placed the tray down, he slowly looked back up at Cynder. She was now bending over in the bathtub to pick out some blueberries and toss them in her mouth. He blinked, staring at her wet scales. Ancestors, she was beautiful. Even though they'd been together for twenty years, he still couldn't get enough of her. He took in her appearance and physique, looking up and down it as if it was the first time he'd seen a dragoness, feeling a heat welling inside his chest.

Thinking rashly, remembering the conversation they'd had yesterday… maybe he could sacrifice his confidence, if only for a minute or two. He snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Cynder saying his name.

"Spyro, you alright?" she asked, a sly smile on her face, eyes narrowed. "I can see where you're looking, you know."

Spyro apologised quickly, turning his gaze and beginning to ogle the tiled wall, cheeks flushed and hot with embarrassment. Cynder scoffed and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Come on, Spyro. We're mates. It's alright," she said quietly.

He just nodded and looked back at her as she leaned over, picking out another pawful of berries and tossing them in her mouth.

"Thanks for the food, Spy," she murmured with her mouth full.

"Spy? That's a new one."

"Eh, I just came up with it. I felt that 'Spyro' gets a bit long after twenty years."

"It's only two syllables, Cyn!"

"Oh, I see what you did there. I like it."

"Well I don't. Spy's a bit… eh… what's the word? Cringey?"

"Like I said, I just came up with it. I didn't expect you to like it," Cynder chuckled.

Spyro chuckled too, staring into Cynder's emerald eyes. She leaned over the bathtub and gave Spyro a soft kiss, making him sigh as he felt Cynder's warmth against his lips. Cynder retracted, putting some more berries in her mouth before she stood, water dripping off her scales as she stepped out of the bath. She then gave her body a violent shake, spraying water all over her mate and making him recoil in annoyance.

"Hey! We have towels, you know!" Spyro exclaimed, groaning at the cold water droplets pricking his body.

Cynder laughed as she came to a stand-still.

"I know, I have one right here," she chuckled, gesturing towards him.

Spyro just blinked at her.

"You really like to take advantage of me, don't you?" he murmured.

"Sometimes. You're my mate; I wouldn't do it to hurt you and you know that."

Spyro rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile. Cynder was a great mate. Not only was her appearance completely mesmerising, but she had a great spirit around her too. It was playful, yet caring and strong. She went through so much in her childhood, and to see her still enjoying life and being able to make jokes and make fun of him was something so special to him.

Cynder walked over to the rack and grabbed a towel, drying herself more thoroughly than the shake did. Spyro was about to say something but was interrupted by a knock from downstairs.

They blinked simultaneously.

"I'm almost finished but could you go down and see who that is?" Cynder inquired.

"Sure," Spyro replied as he turned, ready to leave the room, before he paused and whirled back around.

He lunged at the tray of berries beside the bathtub and snatched a pawful.

"Hey!" Cynder snapped.

"Payback for spraying me with water," Spyro retorted cheekily, shoving them in his mouth before he finally left the bathroom.

While she was alone, Cynder shook her head with humour in her eyes before returning to the task of drying herself. She could never get tired of Spyro's child-like humour. It was as if he was still the young dragon who she fell in love with all those years ago.

Spyro rushed down the stairs and raced to the front door. The purple dragon composed himself, clearing his throat and trying to maintain a sense of demeanor. After a deep breath, he opened the door to find three familiar dragons standing before him.

His name was Timber, the son of Terrador. He was the spitting image of his father, but more lean than stocky. His scales were no less impressive however, forest green like the leaves of trees. His eyes were full of kindness, much like his father, which were also a light shade of green. The earth dragon's horns were curled slightly, almost touching the sides of his head and shining brightly in the early morning sun. His clubbed tail swayed gently from side to side, indicating his happy and joyful mood.

Spyro had known Timber for years. Although Timber was younger than him, he was no less smarter and a worthy fighter. Spyro had faced him many times in sparring matches, and he had come very close to losing had it not been for his impeccable comet dash. Spyro had come to greatly respect Timber and it began a mutual friendship between himself and Cynder.

Standing closely beside him, was a dragoness who was smiling broadly and seemed the happiest creature alive. Her name was Saiph. Saiph was a young wind dragon, roughly the same age as Timber and also in a very strong relationship with the young earth apprentice. Much like her boyfriend, she was very strong at heart and her appearance also matched with that. Her scales were a natural grey colour, making her look as though she was covered in polished gravel. A swirled tailblade, almost like a dollop of whipped cream, was connected to the end of her tail. The eyes were a huge giveaway of her element, elegant but powerful. Just like the wind itself.

Spyro had met Saiph when she applied to teach younglings about the ancestors. He had grown very fond of her and they became very close friends. Spyro had always admired her resilience and knack for learning and discovering. Whenever a hatchling needed help with their element theory assignment, she was always there with a helping paw.

The last dragon who stood before Spyro was Frisia, the daughter of Cyril. She had turquoise scales and eyes, almost identical to her father's but with more of a twinkle. Three razor sharp spikes emitted from her tail and turned it into a formidable weapon or a useful instrument when it came to surgical procedures. Her horns and scales were always polished, sparkling brightly in the morning sun as she stood before her purple friend.

Spyro had met Frisia when he came back from the war and was taken to the infirmary. Frisia was Sapphire's apprentice and was gradually turning into an extremely talented physician. Both Spyro and Cynder were grateful to Frisia for healing them that day and she too became a close friend of the great couple.

"Oh hey guys," greeted Spyro, slightly out of breath from running down the stairs at a colossal pace.

"Morning purple butt," chuckled Timber, his voice low and gruff but still sweet in nature.

"Timber, be nice," Saiph said, elbowing him with a chuckle.

"I was just pointing out the obvious," Timber defended himself with a smug grin.

"Well you aren't wrong Timber," Spyro said cooly. "Although, I can't really see your butt over the size of your ego."

Timber suddenly looked very embarrassed as Saiph started to giggle wildly.

"Now that was a serious burn Spyro," laughed Saiph. "You didn't even breathe any fire!"

"Wait, did someone say burn?" Frisia said with a cheeky smile, reaching into her bag and pulling out a bandage.

"Not that type of burn, Fris," Timber said with a little snicker.

"Although, we might have to get Cyril over here to cool you down from that."

"Nah, I think I've got this," said a voice emitting from Spyro's direction.

Spyro turned round to see Cynder walking up behind him. Her scales were clean and sparkling in the sun. Spyro couldn't take his eyes off her and he couldn't help but smile either.

"So, shall we get to work then?" Spyro asked her, smiling with pride and love as he continued to gaze at his mate.

"Seems I'll be coming with you today," smiled Frisia. "Sapphire told me that I have to teach the kids about basic medical training: how to apply a bandage and use gems so all the easy stuff."

"Great! The more the merrier," Saiph said with twinkling eyes.

"We better get going then," Spyro said as he began to walk in the direction of the temple. "Don't fancy getting a lecture from Terrador if we're late again."

"Now that I can agree with," agreed Timber, who too began to start walking.

Spyro and Timber lead the way, catching up on the events of the previous days. Cynder, Frisia and Saiph were lagging behind a little and talking about their experiences of the opposite gender.

"I swear that guys don't have a clue about what we like to do, even if we spell it out for them," Frisia pointed out.

"Tell me about it, I said to Timber that we should go for walks more often. He ended up taking me along with him on tedious tasks around Warfang," Saiph commented.

"I dunno, Spyro always seems to get everything right for me," Cynder replied. "Our anniversary last night was amazing."

"Twenty years, can't believe how strong the bond between you two has gotten," Frisia said with an amazed sigh.

"Yeah me neither, but with each passing day I find myself falling further and further in love with him."

"How did you know? I mean… how did you know he was the one for you?" Frisia enquired, curious to see how Cynder felt when she fell in love with the purple dragon she was bonded to.

"It just clicked," Cynder replied. "When I was in the core, I knew I couldn't die without telling him how I felt and it just sort of slipped out. When we woke up, he heard what I said and told me he loved me too. That was one of the best days of my life."

Cynder smiled at her thoughts of the day when Spyro confessed his love to her. She could remember that dashing smile broadly plastered over his face and a stream of sunlight blasting onto his scales which shone like diamonds.

"I doubt anyone will be able to tear you two apart."

"They won't because if anyone tries, they're dead."

The group walked up to the great oak doors of the temple, pushing them open with a slight squeak. The guardians had already arrived here early to discuss problems surrounding the citadel but they were mostly economic. Spyro walked in first and strode down the hallway, going past the paintings of his guardian teachers, his mate and himself.

"I swear you look fat in this Spyro," said Timber, pointing at Spyro's portrait.

"I swear you never know when to shut up," Spyro replied coolly.

"I meant P. H. Phat, OW!" he exclaimed as Cynder gave him a slap on the back of his head.

Spyro lead the group through to the training room before they began to go their separate ways. Cynder left the room and went towards the flight hall and Timber began to walk off to the practice range just a few rooms away.

"So, where are you going to be Frisia?" asked Spyro, checking the dispensers for any faults.

"She's with me," Saiph said triumphantly. "Seems fitting that she should be in a classroom rather than a huge hall like this."

"Fair enough," Spyro nodded as he breathed ice into one of the dispenser hatches to fill it up.

"We'd best be off then, come on Frisia. Have a good day Spyro."

Saiph lead Frisia through the vast hallways, going past rooms with workers inside getting ready for the busy day. As they walked, they could hear a few raised voices snapping at each other, getting clearer and clearer as they approached the room they were coming from. Frisia looked at Saiph with stultified look as the wind dragoness let out an exasperated groan.

"My dad and Volteer never stop arguing do they?" Frisia asked Saiph.

"Nope. They're always arguing and it seems to go on forever whenever they raise their voices," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Who knows what stupid thing they're fighting over again?"

As they got closer the words exchanged between the two bickering guardians became clearer, and as always, they were snapping at each other about the things they hated about one another: Volteer's extensive use of long words and Cyril's egotistical manner.

"I just don't know who thought it'd be a good idea to get you to teach language classes for the little ones, Volteer! I mean, by the Ancestors, you can't just dumb it down for them, can you?!" Cyril snapped.

"Don't enrage yourself over insignificant matters, you perfidious lump of hoarfrost!" snapped Volteer, spurting out his words at an incredible pace.

"Hoarfrost? You insult me with hoarfrost? Go shove a dictionary up your- oh hello honey!"

Frisia was standing in the door, a paw over her maw to hide her snickering.

"Ahem, hey Dad," Frisia said, trying desperately not to laugh.

"Ah! Good morning Miss Frisia," Volteer said chirply, ignoring the look of disgust from Cyril. "I see you have finally decided to encounter on the wonderous journeys of education and inspiring young minds. Oh what fun you'll have, teaching younglings how to-"

"Do you ever shut up?" Cyril asked him, slightly infuriated by his fellow guardian's tongue rattling on. "Go on darling, have a good day with the younglings and don't be nervous."

"Nervousness is an emotion that comes from the brain Frisia and you must remember that it is only a physical emotional brainwave."

"Why can't you just say 'have a good day' or 'break a leg'?"

"Because wishing someone to break their leg is very spiteful and harsh, Cyril," Volteer said with a claw raised. "Dear me, where has your sense of decency gone?"

"Urh… I give up."

Frisia and Saiph continued down the corridor until they reached the theory room. It was quite small with lines of desks positioned from one side to the other. A large chalkboard was positioned to the right of them with remnants of past lessons imprinted on it. Saiph walked up to her desk and pulled out a pearl white chalk stick before writing the words 'medical training' onto the board. She turned back to see Frisia looking rather nervous and glaring at a blank bit of wall.

"You okay?" asked Saiph, giving her a warm smile.

"Wha-? Oh yeah, yeah I'm fine," Frisia stuttered.

"Come on Fris, you're a terrible liar," chuckled Saiph. "You nervous about this?"

Frisia nodded slowly and turned her eyes back to the wall.

"You'll be fine. You know your stuff and the kids hardly bite."

"I guess."

"I'll be there when you need me, okay?"

"Okay."

As the gong sounded to signal the start of the day, students began to pile through the front doors and into their respective classrooms. Before Frisia could blink, the room was already filled with younglings who were ready to learn. Saiph stepped forward and began to speak out to the many eager faces who were peering over their desks.

"Good morning class," she said with a smile. "Today we've got a special guest for you all. This is Miss Frisia and she will be teaching you medical basics today so I would like you all to be nice and give her a very warm welcome."

Saiph indicated for Frisia to step forward and take control. She froze for a few seconds before taking a step forward and taking control of the lesson.

"G-G-Good morning everyone," she stammered, trying not to make a fool of herself. "How many of you have been to the infirmary before?"

All paws except for one stayed down. The only paw that was raised belonged to Fang who was proud of being unique for once.

"Me, Miss," he said with enthusiasm.

"And what's your name?" she asked with intrigue.

"Fang, Miss," he said proudly.

"And why did you have to go to the infirmary?"

"I had an ice shard stuck in my side, Miss," he replied, shivering a little from the pain he endured that day. "Spyro brought me to the infirmary, it was so cool to be saved by him."

"And I'm guessing it was nurse Sapphire that healed you wasn't it?"

"Yes Miss, it was amazing how quickly she healed me."

"Well, I am here today to show you how to do basic healing if there is ever an emergency with someone you know, or you yourself are hurt."

Frisia lifted out a basket of red gems which glinted as the sun hit them through the stained windows. The younglings' eyes gazed with wonder at the basket and they soon became mesmerised with what the young ice dragon was holding in her paws.

"These are healing gems," she said with a smile. "If you ever get cut, poisoned or break a bone, red gems are used to heal the wound. You break the gems over the wound and they will heal it. Unfortunately, depending on the intensity of the wound, it won't heal completely, but it will generally do a good job of healing the wound and easing the pain."

She put down the basket of red gems and lifted up a basket of green ones.

"Likewise, these are mana gems, the other common type of gems used for healing," she explained. "These are used if you're running low on elemental power or if you're physically drained. Much like the red healing gems, you just break them, and you'll absorb them. They will restore your energy. You do need to be careful with these though; too much mana gems can get you very over-energised and you'll likely struggle to sleep or focus."

She placed down the baskets and looked up towards the class again who were now wide-eyed with wonder.

"Now, who has a cut or injury in here?" she asked the class.

Again, Fang's paw was the only one raised.

"Is it still hurting Fang?" she asked him with a concerned and light-hearted voice.

"No Miss," he replied. "It's for something else."

"And what would that be?"

"I scratched my paw when I tripped over a rock on the way back from school."

"My, my, you are in the wars aren't you?" she chuckled. "Let's have a look then."

Fang walk up to the front of the class tentatively and lifted his front paw for Frisia to inspect. It was a small graze, but it did look painful, the scales on his paw were damaged slightly from the rock. In between the scales there was a small flesh wound where it appeared the rock had dug in underneath the scales. Again, it didn't appear to be too bad, but the wound was red and slightly inflamed.

"Ooo, that does look nasty," she said in a low and soothing voice. "This should work, now pay attention everyone because I'm going to show you how you apply the gems to the wound."

Frisia picked up a red gem from the basket and smashed it with her paw. The fragments began to bounce into Fang's paw before sealing the wound and leaving a faint scar behind. The entire class shared a small gasp, they had never seen anything so amazing in their short lives.

"Do you want me to show you the green gems now?"

"YES!" the class shouted in unison.

As the day went by, Frisia had taught the class everything she knew about how the two common gems worked. For once, she felt extremely confident and important. It was as if she was an entirely new dragon. When the gong sounded to signal the end of the day, Frisia was happy with how much she was able to teach but also saddened by how quickly the day went. While she was packing up her things, there was a slight knock at the door. It was Inferno.

"Hey Saiph, I got your- oh, hello," he said, soon spotting the form of Frisia on her haunches.

"Thanks Inferno, this is Frisia, she came here to help out with the medical lesson today," Saiph said with a glint in her eye. "Frisia, this is Inferno."

"It's nice to meet you," she said offering out a paw to shake.

"Y-Y-Yeah… likewise," he stammered, shaking her paw gently.

Inferno had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life. Her scales were radiating with a vibrant turquoise as the sun beamed down upon them and lit up Inferno's eyes. Her tail swayed from side to side in an elegant manner and her eyes had an unmistakable twinkle in them which Inferno got lost in. Inferno was completely mesmerised by Frisia's body and features, too much that he forgot to let go of her paw.

"Erm, could I have my paw back please?" Frisia asked politely, trying to retract her paw from Inferno's grasp.

"Oh yeah right, sorry," he apologised, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Saiph eyed Inferno with narrow eyes and a small grin. She knew the signs of someone falling for someone instantly, she had lived it herself. A grand idea came to her mind as she began to clear up the classroom.

"Why don't you two go out and get to know each other? It would help if you're gonna end up working together someday," Saiph suggested.

"Sounds like a fun idea," Frisia said. "Yeah, why not? As long as you're okay with it, Inferno."

"Y-Y-Yeah sure," he stammered. "Sounds great."

Frisia and Inferno said their goodbyes to Saiph and left the theory room. They walked through the vast halls sharing glances at one another before facing forward again awkwardly. Inferno urged himself to break the silence, hoping he could find salvation from this awkward moment that they were sharing.

"So, um… how was your day here? The younglings didn't scare you too much did they?" he asked Frisia, who was staring at the decorated walls as she walked.

"No, it was actually quite fun," she replied with a smile. "What about you? What's your job?"

"Fairly normal for me, I usually help out Spyro or Cynder with their lessons. Teaching assistant as it were. Today I was with Cynder and teaching them how to fly," he explained.

"Now that sounds like a fun job," she said.

"Yeah, it has its moments."

They continued walking until they reached the training room where Spyro and Cynder were carefully putting away the equipment used for their lessons that occurred earlier in the day.

"Careful with that, Cynder," Spyro said with concern as Cynder picked up a dispenser. "I don't want a repeat of Fang."

"I'll be fine Spyro, stop worrying so much and get on with what you're doing."

Spyro chuckled at Cynder's stubbornness and pride. She never liked having to have help to complete one of her tasks.

"How was your day today?" Spyro asked her while moving a box of training dummy parts.

"Yeah, normal. The students are progressing very well to be honest, sometimes they're just adorable," she giggled as she remembered a young fire dragon who hugged her after it managed to get into the air.

"Oh right…"

"What about you? How is combat training?"

"Basically the same as always, like you say the students are getting better. I can imagine how you're gonna be if we do end up teaching our own child," he said with a chuckle.

"Have you thought about it?"

"Thought about what?"

"Having a child; you think you're ready?" she asked her mate, hoping that he might say yes.

"I have thought about it Cynder," he said, stacking a box onto another. "But I can't see myself being a father yet, there's too much that I need to learn."

"I know but when the time comes, I… don't want you to regret anything," Cynder said with kind eyes. "I want you to be happy."

"As do I honey," Spyro replied, walking over to her and pulling her into a warm embrace. "As do I."

Cynder snuggled against Spyro's chest, welcoming the warmth of his body. As the chamber doors were opened, Spyro and Cynder looked round to see Inferno and Frisia, standing in the doorway.

"Ah, Frisia! How was your day? Did you enjoy yourself?" Spyro asked with a smile.

"Of course! The time went by so quick it felt like only minutes had past," Frisia replied, grinning wildly.

"That's good to hear," Cynder added, still holding Spyro tightly. "Thanks for your help today, Inferno."

"My pleasure to be of assistance, Mistress Cynder," he said respectfully with a slight bow.

"It's just Cynder, thanks," she said with a chuckle. "Anyway, where you two off to?"

"Just going out for some air and to get to know each other. It was Saiph's idea after all."

"Was it now?" Spyro said with a slight smirk which he shared with Cynder. "Well you two go and have some fun, we'll see you tomorrow bright and early!"

Inferno and Frisia left the chamber and headed out into the main hall where the exit was waiting for them at the end.

"Do you reckon those two will end up together?" asked Cynder.

"Anything is possible," Spyro said with a shrug. "I somehow managed to get you remember?"

"Nah, It was a long time coming sweetie," Cynder said before kissing him on the cheek. "I reckon it won't be long until one of them makes the first move."

* * *

Outside the temple, Inferno and Frisia were stood around the fountain and engaged in conversation. The sun was barely peeking over the tops of the buildings, sending the last light of day through the gaps and painting the sky a burnt orange.

"So, you got any family here?" Frisia asked Inferno.

"Nope, my mother is at home. Very far away. And my father… well… I've never met my father," mumbled Inferno, thinking about what his father figure would look like.

"Oh, why not? If you don't mind me asking."

"Well, when I hatched, my mother raised me on her own, my father was never with her. She never even spoke of him," Inferno recollected as tears began to shine in his eyes.

Frisia got a little closer to him, putting a reassuring paw on his shoulder.

"I'm sure if you look hard enough, you'll find him soon," she said reassuringly. "No one is ever lost."

"I guess so. Anyway, enough about me. What about you? You got any family here?" Inferno asked, wiping away the tears with a swift claw.

"My dad," Frisia said, rolling her eyes. "My mother died years ago during the war so my father had to raise me on his own. Even though he can be difficult sometimes, I do love him for everything he has done for me. Even when his guardian duties come first."

"Guardian duties?" Inferno said in a high pitched voice. "Wait, your father is Cyril?"

"Unfortunately," she said with a chuckle. "He can be very annoying sometimes when he ushers me to do more work than actually have time to myself."

"Wow… I did not expect that," gasped Inferno.

"No one ever does," she said sadly. "But I try my best to impress him, sometimes it feels like it's not enough."

"Hey, I'm sure he loves you no matter what," reassured Inferno, placing a soft paw on Frisia's shoulder.

"Thanks," she said gratefully.

They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments before turning away to hide their blushes. Frisia looked up at the sky and realised that it was getting quite late in the evening.

"Ancestors it's late, I should be getting home," she said sadly, enjoying her time with her new found friend.

"You want me to walk you home?" Inferno offered.

"That would be nice, thanks."

Inferno and Frisia walked through Warfang, talking and enjoying the company of one another. The moon shone brightly as the pair walked, its light cutting through the alleyways like a knife through butter. Warfang was eerily quiet in the evenings with only a few creatures walking around and making their way back home.

Inferno and Frisia kept in the light of the streetlamps, smiling and talking as they went. Neither wanted it to end, it was nice to have a normal chat once in a while.

As they approached a small house on the corner of the street, Frisia's face dropped as she realised that their chat was almost over.

"Well, this is my stop," she said sadly before hugging Inferno tightly. "Thanks for walking me home, it was great to get to know you. We should do this again sometime."

"Y-Y-Yeah course, my pleasure," he chuckled nervously, slightly taken aback that Frisia was hugging him so tightly.

She gave a slight wave as she opened the door and stepped inside, leaving Inferno alone in the street with images of her still flashing through his mind.

"Woah," he said to himself. "What was that about? Am I… falling for her? No, don't be stupid Inferno. Now I'm talking to myself, just great."

Inferno began to walk himself home with a smile plastered on his face. His time at Warfang seemed to be bearing fruit and already his life seemed a bit brighter now that Frisia was a part of it.

* * *

**There we have it guys! Chapter two is now out! Sorry for the wait again. I recently got a brand new PC so I've had to move everything onto it and that included all of the drafts for the early chapters as well so again I'm sorry for the delay. Anyway, thanks so much for all the support so far. It's incredible how many of you are reading this and we're not even a quarter of the way through yet. I hope to see this story grow and attract more people as the chapters roll in. Once again, I would like to thank SKda for beta-reading and helping with some of the lines in the chapter and Cheetah of course for co-writing.**

**I hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic and Cheetah, Signing off _**


	5. CH3: Homeward Bound

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to the third chapter of our story. Again, you have blown me away with the increasing amount of support you have shown and it makes me smile whenever I read your reviews. One even said that this is the best story that they have read so far which is utterly unbelievable that I can make a person think that. I am loving every second of writing this book, uploading it and getting feedback from it. Thank you so much to all of you who have reviewed frequently:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- TARDIS  
\- Dragon of Mystery**

**\- Jos Vitor  
\- HolyCross**

**Thank you so much for your support and I will be sure not to let you down. Again, I want to thank SKda for beta-reading and Cheetah for co-writing. She's been through a tough moment recently as one of her beloved animals has sadly passed away. I had the pleasure of meeting such a cute little creature and I was very upset to hear the news so hopefully we can all cheer her up and give her some well wishes. Hope you guys enjoy the new chapter!**

**Let the story continue…**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Homeward Bound**

Spyro opened his eyes, wide awake and unable to sleep. Cynder was sleeping soundly next to him, breathing rhythmically as she maintained her peaceful slumber. Spyro carefully pushed himself up from the bed and walked over towards the window. The moon was still high in the sky, making him squint his eyes as it bathed the room in pearlescent light. He turned his gaze back towards Cynder, reassuring himself that she was still asleep. Spyro let out a soft sigh and stared at the sky. Each star twinked brightly above him, creating picturesque forms that lit up in his amethyst pupils.

"Spyro...?" a voice groaned behind him. "What are you doing up so early?"

"It's nothing honey, don't worry," he said soothingly. "Go back to sleep."

"Spyro, you do know you're a terrible liar right?" she asked jokingly, surprising Spyro with the fact that she could still commence her sassy banter even though she was half asleep.

"Yeah I know," he said quietly as Cynder stretched and walked over to his side.

"Tell me what's wrong, baby," she said, putting her paw on his chest.

"It's really nothing, Cynder," he said, shaking his head lightly.

"Spyro, tell me what's wrong or I swear to the Ancestors you are getting tickled until you submit," she warned with a fierce but playful look.

He looked down at her with troubled eyes, a small tear forming in the corner of them.

"I miss my parents… and Sparx too," he said with a shaking voice. "I want to know if they're safe and what they've been doing all this time."

"I'm sure they're fine Spyro," she reassured him. "If not then they've probably died from Sparx constantly talking every single day."

Spyro chuckled slightly but was still not convinced. He needed to know for sure if his parents and his brother were happy and living good lives.

"I need to know for sure Cynder," he said to her, a strong gleam of determination in his eyes.

"I know those eyes," she said to him, knowing those eyes signified a fixed determination inside of the purple dragon. "But I still don't think it's a very good idea."

"Why not, Cynder?"

"Most creatures out there still want my head, and the swamp seems so detached that maybe they still think I'm the monster that I was," Cynder explained, a familiar sadness lacing her heart. "Also, it's a two day trip, what about the school? Who's gonna take over from us while we're gone?"

"I know my parents, Cynder; they won't blame you for what happened to you," he said softly, placing a soft paw on her cheek. "Also, I'm sure that Terrador wouldn't mind taking the combat class and Cyril for your class."

Cynder thought for a few moments, knowing how much this means to Spyro. But she also knew the dangers and the doubts that plagued her.

"Okay, I know how much this means to you, so we'll go if Terrador allows it."

"Thank you, honey."

Spyro pulled her into a passionate and thankful kiss, sighing as he felt her soft touch against him. Spyro pulled away and stared out the window again.

"We better get back to sleep then, busy day tomorrow," he said to her with a smile and feeling tired all of a sudden.

"You got that right, you sure you're not gonna get up and sleepwalk like the braindead bonehead that you are?" Cynder taunted, making Spyro laugh too.

"I'm sure."

Cynder laid herself down and waited for Spyro to do the same. Once he had got himself comfortable, Cynder rested her head on his chest and both dragons fell back into the peaceful embrace of sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Spyro was already up and awake, eager to go and get ready for the coming journey. He hadn't been this excited since his soulmate ceremony day and even then he was more excited than he was now. Spyro made Cynder some breakfast and left her a little note to let her know his whereabouts. After having a meal of his own, Spyro made his way out of the house and rushed towards the temple. It was still early morning and the streets were only filled by a few creatures making their way to open their shops. Spyro knew that the guardians would already be at the temple, discussing today's activities.

He walked through the oak doors and down the hallway. He passed the training rooms and classrooms to finally reach the guardian's chambers. Much to his amusement, Cyril and Volteer were arguing yet again.

"Cyril, are you incompotent at using your soundwave inhalation devices or are you just hard of hearing? I didn't steal your handwriting component!" Volteer snapped at the ice dragon who stood before him.

"For your information Volteer, it's called a quill. Q-U-I-L-L. Maybe you should shove that in your dictionary and use proper words for once! Maybe you should go out and buy your own quill!" Cyril snapped back, quivering from irritation.

Spyro couldn't stop himself from chuckling. Cyril and Volteer always found incredibly idiotic things to shout at each other about. It was a wonder for him how poor Terrador didn't lose the will to live. Spyro knocked on the door politely, seeking council with Terrador and the others. Terrador was slouched on his podium, completely stultified by his two fellow guardian's bickering. His eyes lit up when he saw Spyro enter the room, still trying to not burst out laughing.

"Cyril, Volteer, could you please stop your incessant bickering?!" he thundered as the room fell silent. "Spyro is here."

"Ah! Good morning young Spyro, how may we be of service today?" asked a smiling Volteer who pushed passed Cyril.

"I came here to ask you all something about an idea or venture of mine," he said with respect.

"Go on."

Spyro took a deep breath and steadied his nerves.

"I want to go back to the swamp for a few days, reconnect to my roots and see the family that raised me again," Spyro explained, causing the guardians to share nervous glances between each other.

"Spyro, this is a very dangerous idea of yours," Terrador warned. "I have no doubt that Cynder will be going with you, and if you remember, there are still creatures out there that will want to do you harm."

"I know that, Terrador, but I can't live the rest of my life asking myself if they're happy or if they're okay. I need to know that for myself."

"You do have duties here as well Spyro, the children need you and Cynder to teach them," Cyril added.

"I know that Cyril, but I must know that they're okay. Surely one of you could take over from me and Cynder for a few days," Spyro suggested, making Cyril slightly nervous.

"It's been so long since we've taught younglings Spyro; Volteer is the only one who does now and he's busy with his own class. You were our last pupil," Terrador explained.

"I know and I also know that you've done so much for me and sacrificed most things to get to where we are today, but I must know that my family is safe and well," Spyro demanded, not backing down from the target he was trying to reach.

Terrador was taken aback by how determined Spyro was. He hadn't seen Spyro like this since the war. Then again, it showed his loyalty to the people he loves and that is what made him such a wise and honest young dragon.

"You never cease to amaze me how loyal you are to the people you love," Terrador said with a proud smile. "That being said, you and Cynder did save us and I suppose every hero deserves a break now and then. Very well, you may go. But be careful Spyro."

"I will, thank you Master Terrador."

"Spyro?"

"Yes?"

"Take care of Cynder won't you? There are still creatures out there who see her as the monster she was, and want to get revenge for all the sorrow and death that she brought upon them."

"Of course I will. I love her so much that I'll kill anyone who tries to take her away from me," Spyro said with fierce eyes, causing the other guardians to smile with pride at their now mature pupil.

"I'm glad, now off you go."

Spyro gave all the guardians a hearty smile and rushed out of the door.

"You think they'll be okay?" Cyril asked Terrador.

"Oh believe me, when Spyro has his mind set on something. Nothing gets in his way. You should be worried about us Cyril. Guess we're going back to the old days."

"Ancestors, save us."

* * *

As Spyro made his way out of the temple, Inferno was carrying a pile of parchment folders precariously on his wings. His eyes remained fixed on them as to not spill them everywhere.

"Oh hey, Inferno," Spyro beamed, making Inferno jump and causing the piles of parchment to fall onto the fire dragon. "Oops, sorry."

"Urh… It's okay, you seem to be in a hurry. Where you off to?" asked Inferno, peeling his way out of his parchment bundle.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually," Spyro said with a smile and picking up loose pieces of crumpled parchment. "I'm going back home for a short while, to see my family."

"Really? Is Cynder going too?" he asked, slightly panicking at the thought of taking care of the school without Spyro and Cynder here.

"Yes she is, but don't worry. Cyril and Terrador are going to be covering for us so you'll have help."

"Thank the ancestors for that," he said in relief as Spyro handed him the rest of the parchment he dropped.

"Can you let the others know too?" he asked Inferno.

"Of course Spyro."

"Thanks. Anyway, I should be getting home. Cynder will be up soon and I want to be there to tell her the good news," Spyro said excitedly, moving closer towards the doors.

"Alright, I'll see you in a few days then. Have fun!"

Spyro smiled and set off for home, excited to know that he would be able to see his parents again.

* * *

Cynder slowly opened her eyes, yawning widely as she woke from her heavy slumber. She blinked groggily, clearing her vision, before she looked at the bedside table. On it was a tray with berries and a slice of meat placed carefully on a plate. A rose had also been placed in a jar next to the plate, a little note leaned on the side of it. Cynder picked it up and began reading.

'_Morning sleepyhead,_

_Hope you enjoyed breakfast. Just on my way to ask Terrador for his permission so hopefully he'll say yes. I'll see you when I get back._

_Love Spyro x'_

Cynder smiled at the note and began to eat her breakfast. Within seconds she had demolished the entire trayand sighed in satisfaction at the feeling of a full stomach. Cynder hopped off the bed and stretched, knocking off a small book from the bedside table. She picked it up and read the label. Cynder soon realised that it was Spyro's diary, something that she knew he would not like her to touch. She smiled mischievously, knowing that all of his secrets were about to be expunged.

"He'll have no idea," she chuckled to herself as she opened the first page and started reading.

'_19th March_

_Do you ever see someone you thought paid no attention to you and things just click? It's a sudden feeling that hits you like a ten ton bus. At least for me anyway. Well… that one such dragon for me is Cynder and it annoyed me to the teeth that I could never summon up the courage to tell her. Ever since I rescued her from Malefor, it was the same constant voice in my head telling me that she's beautiful and the one for me. Saying that out loud was another matter.'_

Cynder stopped reading and gasped, it was the day that Spyro confessed his love to her. She had no idea that he had written his account of what happened that day. She continued reading, her eyes widening at Spyro's choice of words.

'_It was the happiest moment of my life. Hearing the one person that I love tell me that she loves me also. It's a feeling that I can barely describe, let alone talk about. Cynder and I curled up together with our eyes set on the horizon and hearts beating as one. I admired her every feature. Her pearl white horns, her glistening black scales and her enchanting emerald eyes. Everything about her was perfect, is perfect to this day. She is my love. She is… my Cynder.'_

Cynder's eyes began to grow wet with tears. She knew that Spyro loved her greatly, but not as much as what she just read. She smiled broadly, her heart soaring and smile growing ever wider. It was things like this that made her fall deeper in love with him. Not only his gentle nature, but his sweet and caring actions towards Cynder that made her feel like the luckiest dragoness in the world. She closed the book and smiled to herself. The fact that Spyro had made her feel like this was one of the reasons why she loved him so much. His inability to stop being a charmer.

Cynder made her way downstairs with the book in her paws and made herself comfortable on the sofa. She peered at the clock on the wall to check the time, waiting for her beloved to return home. She didn't have to wait long as Spyro came bounding through the front door, stopping in his tracks as he saw Cynder clutching his diary.

"Hey honey! Guess wha-," he said as he froze, his eyes latching onto the small blue book in Cynder's paws. "Is that my diary?!"

"Oh this? You're a very talented writer Spyro," Cynder joked, causing Spyro to turn red from embarrassment.

"Cynder, that stuff is private!" he exclaimed, rushing over and taking the book out of Cynder's paws. "How much have you read?"

"Only one certain day."

"And what day was that?" Spyro asked, growing more and more nervous with each passing second.

"The nineteenth of March," Cynder said with a warming smile. "The day you confessed to me."

"Oh…"

Spyro looked down at his paws, slightly ashamed and partly relieved. His secrets were nearly revealed to Cynder, his every thought of her. More importantly, he thought he looked like an utter dork to his wife now that she had realised his little hobby.

"What's wrong?" Cynder asked, looking at the saddened form of Spyro. "I'm sorry Spyro, I-I didn't mean to upset you."

"No… it's okay. I just… didn't want to seem like a complete joke to you," Spyro said, his voice low and full of shame.

"Aww sweetie, I would never say you're a joke," she reassured him. "And as far as the stuff that is in here is concerned, this stuff is amazing Spyro. It appears you have another talent here aside from your powers already."

"Really? You really think that?"

"Of course I do, I loved what you wrote already. Never knew you felt like that so early on."

"Well, if you really think that then… I'll write some more, but… can you promise me one thing?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, anything."

"Can you not read them yourself? Some of them are a bit… private," Spyro said awkwardly, making Cynder blush slightly.

"I promise," she said with a nod and nuzzling his cheek.

"Thank you honey," Spyro cooed, returning Cynder's comforting gesture.

The dragon couple stood in each other's embrace, melting into the comforting warmth of one another. Spyro loved it when Cynder hugged him, it was the one thing that would always cheer him up and it never failed. Cynder slowly retracted and stared up at Spyro with love-filled eyes, the kind of which he falls in love with time and time again.

"We better get to packing then," chuckled Cynder, knowing how much of a challenge that would be for Spyro.

"Oh great…"

Cynder ran upstairs and retrieved a small medical pouch from her bedside draw, filling it with red and green gems with some herbs also. Meanwhile, Spyro was downstairs, packing food and other supplies for the long journey ahead. He couldn't stop himself but think of Sparx and his dragonfly parents. What had they been up to? Have they forgotten him? Has Sparx got a family now? They were all questions he needed to be answered.

After a few minutes, Cynder made her way downstairs with her medical pouch by her side and a warm and hopeful smile edged on her maw. Spyro on the other hand, was nervous but also ecstatic at the same time. He knew he couldn't wait to see his parents, but did they want to see him?

"Hey," Cynder said, lifting his chin up, sensing Spyro's question that remained unspoken. "It'll be okay, I'm with you all the way."

"Thanks honey."

Spyro and Cynder left the house and flew up into the burnt orange sky. It had been a while since Spyro had been on this sort of journey: one that would take days rather than hours. He flew above the clouds and swirled in the air, screaming and shouting in glee as he soared, showing off in front of his chuckling mate.

Although she was doing a good job of hiding it, Cynder was still nervous about venturing off into the world. Even if only for a few days. She still regretted what she did all those years ago, the nightmares of death and torture still coming back to her in her sleep. Despite all of this, she knew that Spyro would be there to comfort, hold and protect her whenever she needed help or reassuring. It was a feature of her purple dragon that she could never get tired of: his selflessness.

Spyro flew a little further ahead of Cynder who was looking at him with sparkling eyes. Spyro felt the wind breeze across his face, a cooling sensation gracing the edge of his nose. He closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of sheer contentment. Although the comfort of his home was bliss, flying above the clouds was a whole new level of peace for Spyro. He had missed this greatly. Spyro and Cynder flew close to each other and recollected past memories of the two of them flying together into the sunset.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cyril had called Frisia into the temple to help him with Cynder's flight class. Although he knew a thing or two about elements, all of his knowledge was thrown out the window in this context, and he knew it. Frisia had never seen her father so nervous, it seemed he was completely out of his comfort zone.

"Ahem, good morning class," he said, his voice a bit higher than usual. "Mrs Cynder is not available at the moment as she is on a venture with Master Spyro. Therefore, myself and my daughter Frisia will be teaching you today."

A series of small groans and hushed muttering was sent around the room. The younglings knew how boring Cyril got when he began to waffle on, even more so than Volteer and that was impressive.

"Now the act of flying is very difficult to grasp at first and requires a great deal of determination and strength. The art of beating one's wings needs focus and absolute concentration."

Frisia looked around and saw many of the hatchlings' faces drop. They were getting more and more bored with every word that came out of her father's mouth, yawning at every syllable and groaning at every noun. Frisia shook her head a little and ushered her father to be quiet.

"Sorry class, Master Cyril hasn't done this for a while haha. Anyway, how many of you were in my class yesterday?" she said as a few hands shot up. "Ah, quite a lot of you. Okay, well I think rather than explaining it, it would be better being shown."

Frisia leapt into the air with her wings apart and hovering effortlessly in the air while the younglings 'oohed' and 'aahed' as she swirled through the air, looking at her father smugly as he sat there, rather embarrassed. A few hours had passed, and already most of the younglings were in the air, hovering next to their new teacher and her father who was close beside her. Even Cyril seemed to perk up as the younglings continued to follow his lead, dozens of wingbeats echoing off of the walls as they flew.

Halfway through the lesson Cyril had noticed that one of the hatchlings was still on the ground and curled up in a corner. He turned to the young ones following him and asked them to follow Frisia's lead. With a swift folding action of his wings, Cyril placed himself gently on the floor and walked over to where the hatchling sat.

"What's wrong little one? Do you not want to fly?" he asked in a soothing voice and with gentle eyes.

"I-I-I'm scared Master Cyril," the youngling whimpered, showing only his eyes to his guardian master.

"As was I when I first used my wings," Cyril explained. "But all you have to do is let go of that fear and channel it through you. Use it as a power source, not as a stop sign even though those are very annoying. Channel that fear through your heart, and turn it into belief and determination."

The little whelpling uncurled himself and closed his eyes, slowly flapping his wings.

"Yes! That's it! Now, feel yourself lift from the ground and remember what your ancestral blood tells you. You can fly!"

Slowly, the young dragon began to climb into the air. Slowly, he opened his eyes to find that he was now off of the floor and about to join his friends.

"Well done! Well done young… erm…"

"Fang, Master," Fang said with respect.

"Well done, young Fang."

As Fang joined his friends in the air, the father-and-daughter couple smiled at their achievement. When the gong sounded to signal the end of the school day, smiles were the only thing that was on their maws.

"I have to admit," Cyril said, scratching the back of his neck with a paw. "I've missed this."

"I bet you have," Frisia chuckled. "Especially from how old you've gotten."

"Oh, age jokes now? Now you're really in trouble, young lady."

Frisia laughed at her father's words and pulled him into a tight embrace. It had been a while since they had shared a hug together and they both were loving every second.

"We should do this more often."

"What? Teaching?" Cyril said with alarm.

"No, you walking freezer, _this_," she laughed, gesturing to the embrace that they were in.

"Yes… we should, and we shall. If Volteer ever leaves me alone."

The father-and-daughter couple walked out together and set off for home, beaming at each other as they flew. Although Cyril was usually a very serious and pursuing dragon, he did have his moments as both a father and indeed a teacher. Frisia was proud to be his daughter and felt safe knowing that her father would always protect her.

* * *

"Spyro we need to find somewhere to set up camp, it's starting to get dark."

"Okay, um… how about there?"

"Looks good."

After flying for hours, Spyro and Cynder landed in a small clearing with a waterfall to the left of them. Stars were twinkling above them and the moon was full and bright, bathing the grass and trees in pearl light. Spyro chopped down a tree with his tail blade and cut up some small pieces of wood for the fire.

Meanwhile, Cynder went off in search for food. It had been a while since she had been hunting, an activity which she hadn't needed to do for some time, being so privileged to live in a place where all she had to do was buy the food. She concealed herself in some shrubbery, making herself practically invisible to any unsuspecting animal. She waited for a while, her patience slowly slipping away despite it being only a few seconds. She was really not used to staying still for such a long time. She felt her muscles scream at her to move to make them work, but she ignored their pitiful screams and stayed still, her eyes narrow and sharp.

After a while, a deer stepped out into the open, and Cynder swiped her tongue along her lips. Venison was her favourite meat. This was a good find.

Quickly, she lunged forward, tackling the poor deer to the ground. It let out a yelp at the sudden impact, before Cynder bent down, taking the creature's neck in her jaws and twisting it sideways with a primitive growl. The bucking deer went still. She let go of the deer and looked down at it, blood spilling from the holes her teeth had made. She could taste it in her mouth. She hadn't tasted fresh, beating blood in years, and for some reason, it felt good. Too good.

What was she thinking? She acted so viciously, and thought viciously too. Something which she had not done since Spyro saved her. She breathed heavily, backing away into a nearby tree and placing a paw on the side of her head.

'_What's wrong with me?'_

She blinked twice in an attempt to clear the sickening thoughts from her mind, but only horror filled it instead. She gasped and whimpered as she saw a young dragon caked and embedded in a pool of blood, replacing the deer. A terrifying roar filled her eyes, a roar which she had not heard for many years. Her heart beat rampant and quickly, thumping against her chest and making her body bounce lightly. She was terrified. A sickening image filled her senses as a large black dragon with blood-crimson chest scales and striking emerald eyes flew down, landing in front of the blood-stained youngling. Her surroundings went blurry, focusing in on the two dragons in front of her. One of which she _knew_ was her. She knew herself too well.

She knew this was a hallucination, but she couldn't get it away. She almost didn't want to. She couldn't remember everything that happened when she was under Malefor's control. She felt compelled to watch, so she let the vision overcome her, and with that came such fear.

Cynder watched as her evil form stalked closer to the child, tailblade scraping teasily on the ground, letting out a high-pitched grating sound. As she got to the child, she raised her tailblade high above it. Its sharp end sent a shiver down Cynder's spine. The youngling started squirming and shouting in fear, before the blade plunged down into its side, causing it to let out a harsh scream. Cynder almost threw up at the sound, tears streaming down her face.

She stared in disbelief as her dark form drew the blade slowly and painfully around the youngling's body, painting its figure red with blood. Cynder whimpered quietly as tears streamed down her face, seeing what she did out of sober eyes for the first time. Her dark form paused, before lowering her head, biting down and not only snapping the youngling's neck, but separating it into two.

Cynder let out a loud howl of protest, and at that, the mirror snapped her head to look at her, almost as if she'd heard her. Cynder suddenly realised her mistake, instantly regretting her outburst. Her evil form drew a sickening smile, showing her teeth glistening with blood. Then followed a loud, primal roar, before the evil mirror leapt out at her, sprinting at a high velocity. Cynder screamed wildly, covering her face with her paws and bracing her end.

"CYNDER!"

Cynder looked up and saw that her evil form and the dead youngling were no longer present, just the deer that she'd killed earlier. Cynder looked over to where the cry of her name came from, her vision blurry with torrents of tears as her frame shook and heaved with sobs. However through her tears, she spotted a familiar purple figure running towards her, and she thanked the ancestors knowing Spyro was here. She dived into his embrace, heavy sobs wracking her body as her shaky paws scrabbled for a firm hold on him.

"Cynder, are you okay?!" Spyro said in a panicked voice, hearing her screams from the camp.

"S-S-Spyro… Spyro…." Cynder stammered, still in shock from the terror she endured.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm here."

Spyro pulled her in tighter, bringing her to his safe place. He picked her up in his paws and placed her onto his back before walking back to the camp. He placed her down next to the fire before going back to retrieve the deer. When he returned, Cynder was sitting next to the lake, peering into the water with sad eyes.

"You want to talk about it?" Spyro asked her, feeling for the pain that his wife went through.

"Not really," she said, staring into the water at her reflection which shimmered in the moonlight.

"Honey, please."

Cynder sighed and continued to stare sadly into the lake before taking a deep breath and telling her nightmare to Spyro.

"It was my… old self. The deer turned into a hatchling and… my old self just… killed it where it lay without a second thought. After that, it came for me. It felt so real. Spyro? What's happening to me?" asked Cynder, tears streaming down her face and splashing onto the water below.

"Oh honey," Spyro said soothingly, bringing her into a warm and heartfelt embrace. "Nothing is happening to you, you're fine. I'm here to keep you safe, and as long you're with me, nothing will harm you. Remember that."

"I don't want to lose you!" she sobbed, burying her head in his chest. "You mean too much to me."

"As do you," Spyro said. "But I'm not going anywhere. I will protect and care for you for as long as I live for you and love you."

Cynder whimpered slightly and pulled Spyro into a teary kiss, her heart melting at her husband's words. She felt his warmth and heartbeat against her face, feeling his touch and soothing breath grace her body. Kissing Spyro was a feeling that she could never let go of, rushing into her mind like a tsunami. A flow of senses and a wave of tingles spread down both of the dragon's bodies as they sat in each other's embrace.

"I love you," whispered Cynder, resting her head against Spyro's chest.

"I love you too, Cynder."

Spyro let out a small burst of fire, setting the campfire alight and setting himself down beside it with Cynder next to him. Cynder gazed at the stars while Spyro slept soundly. She knew that Spyro was with her, to comfort, hold and keep her safe. She'd never felt safer when she was with the purple dragon that she loved more than anything.

* * *

**There we have it folks! Chapter 3 is done! This took so long… phew. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it. It's been a busy time recently. And quite a hard one as well. I've been having family issues recently so It's not been easy for me, but if it wasn't for a certain someone who I love dearly I probably wouldn't have had the determination to write this. Cheetah, I love you honey. Thank you. You're my world and I love you so much that I can't put it into words. I also want to thank SKda as well for beta reading and still being an amazing friend as well. Thanks man! And most importantly, I want to thank all of you for reading. You are the reason why I write this stuff and the fact that so many of you are reading it just blows my mind so thank you so much for reading our works and I cannot wait to bring more to you.**

**For now though, I hope all of you have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… Signing off ^_^**


	6. CH4: A Final Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. Chapter 4… wow. I cannot believe how much fun I am having writing this. Putting character's expressions and everything they say onto a page gives me such a thrill as I can put my mind into every single word. This is why I enjoy writing. It sets my imagination loose. **

**Anyway, before I begin, I just want to say yet again that I completely gobsmacked by the reviews and support that this story has received. You guys have completely smashed my expectations so I want to thank each and everyone of you, whether you have followed, reviewed, or not, for reading our works. It's a pleasure to be part of such an amazing community. Thanks to all of you that have reviewed:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- TARDIS  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- DonnyFire**

**\- Cheetah (Love you honey)**

**Hope you guys enjoy the new chapter and keep those reviews coming. Now without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains bad language that may be unsuitable for young audiences. Reader discretion is advised.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: A Final Goodbye**

As the sun rose brightly in the east, Cynder was already wide awake and staring at her reflection in the stream beneath her. The events of last night were still racing through her mind like a tidal wave. Reminiscence of those past moments creating flashes of pictures in her mind. Those eyes. Those heartless and cold eyes. They terrified her beyond belief and slithered down her spine like a twisted snake.

Cynder looked back to see if Spyro was still asleep, and that he was. Spyro was lying on his back with his paws in the air, snoring wildly as he maintained a position that looked rather like a young bird waiting for a meal. Cynder chuckled slightly at how peculiar her husband looked before looking at the sky solemnly. It was a burnt orange, a few strands of light blue here and there. Cynder's attention however was not on the sky, but to the ancestors.

"What am I? Why was I saved if all I'm gonna be is a monster?" she asked them, seeking their guidance. "JUST HELP ME! JUST TELL ME WHAT I AM!"

She growled in frustration and threw a rock into the stream, panting heavily and snarling at the stream she disturbed.

"You're my wife," said a voice behind her. "And you're my Cynder."

"I wasn't asking you," she said in a low growl, a distinct swell of anger filling her heart.

"Whether you were or not, you're still my Cynder," Spyro said calmly, approaching her slowly.

"WHY?!" she screamed. "WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT ME?! A COLD, HEARTLESS MONSTER!"

"You're not a monster Cynder!" Spyro said, his voice rising in volume a little. "You have to forget about what people say and those hallucinations that you see. They aren't real. They don't matter."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?! YOU WEREN'T TAKEN AT BIRTH AND TWISTED TO BECOME SOME SICK MURDEROUS BITCH OF A DRAGON! YOU KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH SPYRO! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A STUPID BASTARD!" she thundered, tears rolling down her face as she fired hurtful words at the purple dragon she loved.

Spyro started to lose his cool, anger boiling inside of him. How could she say this to him?

"How could you even say that?! You know I never knew my parents! Never knew my blood family! I know you're scared and I know that you blame yourself for what you've done but please, just stop this madness! None of your past actions matter anymore; it's not you and you know that! Just forget about everything that happened back then and move on!"

"FORGET?! HOW THE HELL CAN I FORGET WHAT I DID?! THE LIVES I TOOK DESERVE TO BE REMEMBERED, NOT THROWN AWAY AND FORGOTTEN! I MURDERED THOUSANDS! _MILLIONS_! SOLDIERS, BEST FRIENDS, LOVERS! MOTHERS AND FATHERS! I EVEN KILLED _CHILDREN_! CHILDREN, SPYRO! _I_ SHOULD BE THE ONE DEAD AND NOT THEM, SO IT'S THE _LEAST _I CAN DO TO REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, AND YOU TELL ME TO GO AND _FORGET_ THEM ALL LIKE THEY'RE JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF _SHIT_ TO BE THROWN OUT?! _I_ AM THAT PIECE OF SHIT THAT DESERVES TO BE THROWN OUT! NOT THEM! ME! AND ABOVE ALL, I NEARLY KILLED YOU! _YOU_! MY FUCKING HUSBAND! WHY DO YOU CARE?!" Cynder roared, pausing as Spyro took a step backwards in shock as Cynder relayed all her agony onto him.

"WHY?!"

Spyro just stared at her, his heart breaking with every word.

"WHY?!"

He looked at her, tears welling in his eyes. He felt such pity for her, for all that she had been through. Spyro clenched his paws and dug his claws into the dirt in frustration, trying to hold back the fury that was welling up deep inside him.

"WHY?!"

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"

Cynder stopped breathing for a few seconds, only resorting to a few short gasps. What had she done? Spyro was quaking with fury, barely containing words that he ought to say. She tracked back, placing a paw onto her head and staring at Spyro who too was now crying.

"I… I…"

Cynder couldn't speak. Not only was her throat burning from her outburst, but it was held back by guilt and a familiar feeling of remorse. She wanted so much to say something, but her lips wouldn't let her. Spyro looked up and into her eyes, taking a few steps closer in an attempt to comfort her.

"I love you, Cynder. With all my heart and all my soul. There is nothing I would do to hurt you and you know that. I… I didn't know that you were hurting that much, even after all those years. A-a-and you're right. No one dead deserves to be forgotten. I should have thought about that and I'm sorry," he murmured, tears pouring down his face as his heart broke for his mate. "I'm sorry I upset you, honey. I'm so sorry. I wish I'd known you were hurting this much. And I wish there was something I could do about it."

Cynder just nodded, before she ran to him and wrapped him in a crushing hug. Spyro recoiled and let out a relieved sigh at the force behind her grip as she held him, never wanting to let go. The way she shook broke his heart. The way she mourned.

"At least there's one thing you've gained from all that you've been through," Spyro said, looking her in the eyes.

"What's that?" she sniffed, wiping her muzzle with a paw.

"That terrifying temper of yours," chuckled Spyro.

"Doesn't seem to scare you," she replied with a smile.

Cynder managed to make that smile wider on her maw and pulled Spyro closer, not wanting to let go.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. Ancestors Spyro, the things I said…"

"Don't worry about it," Spyro said, stroking the side of her head with a soft paw. "You were angry and… I shouldn't have snapped back."

Cynder sighed softly and closed her eyes. She loved the feeling of Spyro's warmth against her, it made her feel safe and protected.

"I love it when we hug, makes my heart fly," Spyro said softly, almost quiet enough to be a whisper. "I want to stay like this forever."

"Spyro, don't forget why we're here," Cynder said to him, poking him gently. "We're here to see your family remember."

"They can wait, you always come first."

Cynder raised an eyebrow and looked up into his eyes that were shining and full of care and trust.

"Spyro, I don't understand. I just insulted you, called you things… horrible things and… screamed at you. How can you forgive me this quickly?" she asked him, looking back into the eyes that she loved.

"I told you, because I love you."

Cynder just smiled, completely in awe of how selfless the dragon she loved was.

"Anyway, we need to get going if we want to see your parents today," she said, looking up at the sky.

"Can't argue with you there."

Cynder picked up her pouch which was resting on the rock next to her and strapped it around her leg while Spyro stretched himself out and prepared for the flight. The two dragons flapped their wings and flew into the air, the early morning sun shining on their scales and reflecting in their eyes. Cynder looked across to see Spyro smiling contently to himself, looking back at her with his amethyst eyes shining in the sunlight. Cynder still felt guilty for shouting at him, but she knew that Spyro's love for her was immeasurable and more importantly, unbreakable.

* * *

After a few hours, Spyro touched down with Cynder following closely behind. A slight nervous feeling entered the purple dragon's stomach as he took a step closer to home. Although it was what he wanted, he was not sure how his parents would react to see him so mature and, above all, married. Cynder sensed his nervousness and gave him a reassuring nuzzle.

"Hey, it'll be okay," she said reassuringly.

Spyro gave her a warm smile and took a deep breath before walking into the murk of the swamp. The ground felt soft and smudgy, exactly how it felt when he was an infant. That same familiar stench wafted through his nostrils, the smell of pungent mushrooms and mossy water. Cynder however was struggling to stay upright, her paws getting stuck in the mud. She tried to take another step but began tumbling, only to be stopped by the paw of Spyro.

"Thanks," she thanked him. "Guess I'm not used to this sort of terrain."

"You need to be light on your paws, step slowly and lightly," Spyro explained, giving Cynder an example as he softly placed his paw on the ground.

Cynder followed his example and found herself to be walking much easier. Spyro went on ahead, moving trees and a small boulder out of their path as they ventured through. Suddenly, he stopped as he heard a slight hiss to his left, instantly snapping in the direction of a snake which was ready to strike him.

"Cynder? Don't move…"

Cynder looked over his shoulder and saw the snake, its eyes piercing through her's and a cold chill went down her spine. Spyro only stared at it, unfazed and focused. Within an instant, the snake surged forward before being disintegrated by a small burst of flame from Spyro's maw.

"Green scythe snakes, very poisonous," Spyro said with a smirk.

"Lucky for us they won't have any effect on me," said Cynder smugly.

"Why not?"

"I'm a poison dragoness too, dumbo."

"Oh."

The two dragons journeyed on, Spyro remembering all of the adventures he had exploring and discovering his home. As they pushed through a large clump of brambles, Spyro realised how close to home he was. There was the pond where he used to play and swim, the frogs leaping gracefully to each lilypad on the surface. In the centre was a large tree where himself and Sparx used to play hide and seek, Sparx usually winning due to his small size. Spyro walked up to it and noticed that there were some tiny claw marks embedded in the wood. He smiled as he realised that they were marks left from his own claws, left behind from when he climbed his first tree as a mere hatchling. He trailed his paw down it and reconnected with his memories.

"This is where I grew up, Cynder," he said softly. "This is where it all began."

As Cynder gazed at the tree, herself and Spyro heard small amounts of chatter coming from a path to their right. Spyro's heart skipped a beat, knowing the voice that had said those words.

"Now then you two," said the voice. "No fighting, I know me and my big purple brother usually did that and I obviously won, but I don't want you two breaking one of your wings okay? Your mother wouldn't be happy with me."

"Okay Daddy."

Spyro soon saw who the voice belonged to. It was a small dragonfly with a golden body and pearl white wings. His golden aura shone around him as to light up his surroundings.

"Good, now the faster we get to the tree the more time we get to pl-"

The dragonfly stopped, his eyes widening with every second as he stared at the purple dragon which stood before him. The younger dragonflies rushing behind the tree, trying to conceal themselves.

"Hey Sparx," Spyro said as he smiled broadly, happy to see his old dragonfly brother.

"B-But… that's not possible," the dragonfly stuttered. "Y-You died."

"Seems I have a habit of escaping death," Spyro said, small tears of joy welling in his eyes.

Sparx got closer until he was barely touching the end of Spyro's muzzle, staring wildly into his amethyst eyes. Sparx smiled broadly and wrapped his arms around the end of Spyro's muzzle, beginning to weep tears of joy. Spyro closed his eyes and felt the small arms wrapped around his muzzle.

"Where did you go? What happened to you? What have you been doing since? More importantly… how did you get so big?!" Sparx questioned Spyro who began chuckling at the frenzy of questions.

"Sparx, Sparx, calm down," Spyro said with a chuckle. "I will answer your questions if you ask me one at a time."

"Urh, you've already annoyed me and it's not even been two minutes," Sparx joked, rolling his eyes.

"Well, still shows that I'm still the same old Spyro," Spyro smirked.

"Yeah 'old' I can agree with, are you getting grey? And I swear you've got fatter, I did tell you to eat those salads," Sparx laughed as Cynder shot him a death stare.

"Careful Sparx, that's my husband you're talking about there," Cynder said with a sly smile as Sparx's mouth hung open.

"HUSBAND?!" he gasped. "You can't be serious. When did this happen?"

"Well we can't really go into the details Sparx," Spyro said nervously, going a little red. "But… it was a couple of years after Malefor."

"So you're…?"

"Yep."

"And you've…?"

"No."

"Oh, okay."

"We have talked about it but… we need more time," Spyro said, placing a paw on the back of his neck and scratching it awkwardly.

"I mean, it's a good thing to do bro. Especially about this sort of thing. Kids are a lot of work," he said, stretching his back a little.

"Kids? You speak as if you have some or have at least had experience," Cynder said puzzled.

"Well…"

Sparx flashed them a small smirk before he turned around and flew behind the tree. A few small voices were heard as the two dragons waited for Sparx to return. As he emerged, Spyro and Cynder shared shocked glances as two smaller dragonflies made an appearance, one gold and one green, hiding nervously behind their father.

"Lily, Petal. I'd like you to meet my brother, Spyro."

Spyro smiled with pride while Cynder just stood there with her maw agape.

"You have k… you… wha…?" she stammered, unable to comprehend how the annoying gnat that caused her so much grief ended up having kids, let alone finding a mate.

She looked at Sparx who shot her a brief look of smug triumph, knowing that he had paid her back after shocking him with news that she and Spyro were now mates.

"They're big, Daddy," the little gold dragonfly murmured from behind Sparx. "What are they?"

"They're called dragons, Lily," Sparx said gently, coaxing his two daughters softly out from behind him. "They may look big and scary, but they're really nice. The big purple one is my brother, Spyro. The black one is his mate, Cynder."

"Hi," the green dragonfly, Petal, murmured, waving her hand faintly.

Spyro gave a low, friendly chuckle, waving his paw in response.

"Hello there, little one," he greeted.

Lily and Petal both looked up at Sparx, who gave a chuckle of his own.

"Go up and meet them, girls. They won't hurt you," he said, watching proudly as his daughters cautiously flew over towards Spyro and Cynder.

Cynder still stood gobsmacked, turning towards Sparx with a shocked expression still on her face. She caught herself and closed her open jaw, but surprise still painted her face.

"How did this even happen?" she asked with disbelief. "You of all people beat _us_ to having kids."

"I mean to be fair we live a lot shorter than you. _Plus_ it also shows how mature I really am. All your comments about me acting like a child were all for nought now, weren't they?" Sparx teased.

Cynder just rolled her eyes. Sparx had not changed one bit, but at the same time he was very different. Becoming a father and gaining that extra responsibility might have aided in that. He seemed more mature, more grown up and able to see the world more clearly. She sighed, putting the thought away as she turned to Spyro, who was getting bombarded with questions from Lily and Petal.

"Are you _really _Daddy's brother?"

"What's it like being a dragon?"

"Where do you live?"

"Why are you so big?"

Spyro just chuckled.

"Slow down, girls. One question at a time," he said softly.

"Daddy said you were his brother," Petal said, looking at the massive purple dragon over from head to claw. "Are you _really_ his brother? You're so different; you're not even a dragonfly!"

"Well, I'm not _exactly_ his brother, but we grew up together here in this very swamp you two are growing up in now," Spyro explained. "I don't know my real family because some bad things happened and I was taken away from them. But your father's parents - your grandparents - found me and took me in, raising me as their own son. You have some amazing grandparents, girls. Don't ever take that for granted."

"So… you grew up here with Daddy? Even though you're a dragon? That's so cool!" Lily exclaimed.

"Yeah, it is," Spyro replied, before looking up to Sparx. "Speaking of Mum and Dad, how are they doing?"

"They're doing pretty good for their age. They're getting a bit past their prime now so they are starting to experience all the things that come with old age, but they're fine," Sparx said. "Do you want to see them? I'm sure they'd love to see you. I mean, they probably think you're still dead after when I told them, but obviously I was wrong."

"I'd like to meet them too," Cynder said.

Sparx turned to her with a surprised look but smiled at her. It was a genuine smile, something Cynder really wasn't expecting.

"Why are you smiling like that at me? I thought you hated me," she inquired.

"You promised to keep Spyro safe and you have, haven't you?" Sparx answered.

"But you said you thought he was dead. If that was true I wouldn't have saved him," Cynder said.

"I didn't hear anything about you either so I assumed you died with him. And over the years I came to terms with how Spyro saw you, and I started seeing you in the same light. None of what happened was your fault," Sparx said, before a cheeky smile pulled at his lips. "That doesn't mean I'm going to stop teasing you, though."

"Bring it on," Cynder retorted, smiling in response. "You try it and see what happens."

"Daddy, what are you talking about?" Petal inquired.

"That's a… that's a story for when you're older. It's a very sad and scary story; Cynder didn't have a very happy childhood like you," Sparx replied.

Petal gasped and flew towards Cynder.

"You didn't have a happy childhood? I'm sorry, Mrs Cynder. I bet you feel jealous now," she apologised sweetly, giving Cynder a small hug on the snout.

"I'm not jealous at all, sweetie," Cynder replied to the little dragonfly. "What's happened has passed. I've grown now, my childhood is gone. You still have yours, so it's important to make sure it's the best one you've got."

"I understand."

Petal plucked herself off Cynder's nose before flying back to Sparx's side.

"That was nice of you, Petal," he said.

"I just didn't want Mrs Cynder to feel bad. I don't like seeing people sad."

"You can just call me Cynder, Petal. You too, Lily," Cynder chuckled, the smiles on the little dragonflies' faces growing ever wider.

"Okay," they both replied in unison.

"Alright, now did we want to go see Mum and Dad now or what?" Sparx asked Spyro.

"I left Warfang to come and see you guys so of course I'd want to see them," Spyro replied.

"So you live in Warfang, huh? I'll have to remember that. Anyway, follow me!" Sparx said, before he started flying off towards his parents' home, Lily and Petal flying after him, giggling with glee.

Spyro and Cynder gave each other a smile before they followed them, able to keep up with the speedy dragonflies at a regular walking pace due to their long strides.

As they walked, Cynder couldn't help but think about the way Spyro interacted with Lily and Petal. Seeing the dragon she loved talk so carefully and kindly to the two little dragonflies made her heart warm and beat a tad faster. It proved to her how much she wanted kids of her own. If Sparx could have them, why couldn't she? She knew Spyro's confidence was what held them back, but after seeing how he interacted with Lily and Petal she felt he was more than ready. Doubting was the only thing that was stopping him. A burning desire filled her heart, urging herself to tell him how he acted with the dragonflies. She knew he was ready, and she was going to prove it.

Cynder shook away her thoughts and realised where they were. Spyro was back in the home of his carefree, peaceful childhood. He was going to see his parents again. He deserved not to be worried about what she thought; this morning had already been hard enough for him.

'_I'll talk to him about it when I get back to Warfang, he's ready and I know it.'_

Sparx led the way, Petal and Lily giggling behind him as he flew. Spyro felt happy for Sparx, for all that he had. The little dragonfly had been through a troubled time, journeying with his purple brother through hell and back to eventually thinking that he was dead. In the end, he'd turned out to have everything that he wanted. Peace, a family and security. Spyro was also surprised at how mature he had become. Although his jokey insults were still at large, he seemed to have a lot more respect and certainly where love was issued.

Spyro began to think about what Cynder had said the day before. About where he stood with hatchlings. Maybe it would be a good idea to have them, to try and see if he could be as good as his brother. However, there was still that same nagging doubt in the back of his mind. What if he wasn't there when it needed him most? Spyro shook off his thoughts and returned to the moment at hand, nearly going into Sparx as he stopped abruptly.

"We're here," Sparx said with a smile. "You guys ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Spyro replied, getting rather nervous.

Sparx pushed aside some leaves and led them through into a large clearing. A tall tree stood in the middle with multiple branches and small huts filled with golden light. Spyro recognised his old home instantly, it was the biggest after all. It was positioned in a large log, covered by toadstools. Sparx flew inside with Lily and Petal. Spyro however, froze.

"You okay?" Cynder asked him.

"I'm home, Cynder," he said in amazement. "I'm actually home and yet… I'm scared."

"It's okay sweetie, we'll just handle this like how we handle everything," she said to him softly.

"And how do we do that?"

"Together," she answered, taking his paw in her's and beginning to walk into his old home.

"Spyro…?" a voice said behind them.

Spyro and Cynder turned round to see a small pink-and-green dragonfly flying a few feet from their faces. She had a shocked expression on her face, a small hand over her mouth.

"I-Is it really you?"

"Hey Mum, I'm home," Spyro said, his voice shaking as he choked on tears.

She flew forward and wrapped her arms around his muzzle, giving as much love as she could into the small hug that she was giving him.

"When you didn't come home… your father and I... we thought you'd…" she sobbed as she embraced him.

"No, I survived," he said. "And you have Cynder to thank for that."

Cynder smiled awkwardly, soon realising that the small dragonfly's eyes were now on her.

"You saved my son? I-I don't know how to thank you," Nina said, before flying forward and embracing Cynder on the snout too.

Cynder blinked with surprise. She'd thought that over the past twenty years, Sparx would've told his parents about what happened and they would share the same opinion as everyone else. She was sure they'd hate her for trying to kill both Spyro and Sparx. She couldn't understand how Nina could just shower all this gratitude over her like nothing ever happened.

"Really? You don't hate me?" she asked the tiny dragonfly, confusion edging her voice.

"What? No, I don't hate you! You saved Spyro! You saved my son and took care of him, why on earth would I hate you?" Nina exclaimed.

"But…"

"Sparx told me what happened so I know what you're going to say. If anything of what those last few moments of the war meant, you're a changed dragon," Nina exclaimed. "Sparx told me of the promise you made to him. He told me he was shocked at how genuine you were, and it was then he believed you were different. If _he_ could believe that, having been on the receiving end of your fury when you tried to kill him and Spyro, then why shouldn't I?"

Cynder blinked, feeling tears begin to well up in her eyes. She bowed her head slightly and began weeping with joy. She felt relieved and, above all, accepted. It was a huge thing she had been worried about, ever since their soulmate ceremony. She worried that Spyro's parents would want nothing to do with her as they would remember everything that she had done. She didn't want the parents of her partner to be hateful of her and unsupportive of the relationship. She was sure her past actions would've cause dome backlash. _Terrible_ actions of course, ones she still blamed herself for, if this morning was anything to go by.

She felt Nina's hold on her tighten, providing her support and love while she wept over Nina's acceptance of her. Cynder experienced something that she had never felt in her life. A mother's love. A mother-in-law of course, and even moreso, a foster one, but a mother's love nonetheless. She felt a tiny hand place on her horn and opened her eyes to see that Sparx had come back outside, providing her comfort as well. Ancestors, he _had_ changed. And it looked like he truly _did_ believe that she had as well. Cynder had grown a mutual respect for Sparx. He had a family, a home. Everything. He had indeed changed, almost the same as how Spyro did. She'd never been this happy, never been this confident and safe. She had a family, a real family.

Cynder smiled, taking deep breaths to calm her crying.

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "I'm glad that I was able to help in keeping your son safe."

Nina lifted herself up from Cynder's snout and flew backwards, and Sparx followed suit. Cynder looked towards Spyro, who was beaming happily.

"I told you they wouldn't hate you, honey," he said with a loving, bright smile.

Nina immediately caught onto that word and widened her eyes, her little heart beating with pride and euphoria.

"'Honey'? You two aren't together, are you?" she asked curiously and excitedly, longing for the answer she wanted to come.

"Yeah, you could say that," Spyro replied, blushing as he confirmed to his mother that he was now in a romantic relationship, let alone one that was now bound by marriage vows.

"Oh my ancestors! My little boy's all grown up!," Nina exclaimed, buzzing with excited energy as a glow radiating from her face. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Mum, it's not that big of a deal, really," Spyro mumbled, his blush getting stronger.

"For a girl, it is. Every girl dreams of having a guy they can spend their life with, one who they can trust," Nina explained, remembering past times of how happy she was when she met Flash.

"Ugh, Mum, spare the purple boy from this, okay?" Sparx groaned. "I'm pretty sure Spyro and Cynder have been together for longer than we realise; it's been twenty years since I last saw them, of course."

"Oh, fine," Nina scoffed, before a cheeky smile pulled at her lips. "But I still remember Spyro used to be a ladies boy, even at the age of twelve."

Cynder chuckled a little and gave Spyro a smug stare. She loved this, Spyro getting embarrassed by his mother. It was something that she could finally tease him over and make sure he never forgets. Spyro gave an embarrassed groan and turned away from both Cynder and his mother. Cynder, however, looked at Nina with intent, pressing her into continuing the story.

"A ladies boy huh?" Cynder said as she smiled broadly and sneakily. "Do tell."

"Yeah, he tried to hit on one of the girls here about four months before he left. That day, Spyro came home complaining he had an itchy nose because she flew up it and rubbed mushroom powder in his nose."

"Mum!" groaned Spyro, turning an even brighter shade of red as his mother embarrassed him. "That's private."

"Not anymore!"

Cynder and Nina laughed together as Spyro stood there shaking his head and smiling awkwardly. Although he was being exposed as a flirtatious dragon, he couldn't be happier to see that his mother and his wife were getting along like clockwork. Spyro knew how nervous Cynder was about this meeting but it seemed like it would no longer linger on her mind.

"I think I deserve to know what this private business is," said a low, gruff voice behind the purple dragon.

Spyro turned and saw a pale blue dragonfly hovering behind him, holding an armful of mushrooms.

"Dad!" he exclaimed, tears filling his eyes once more.

"Spyro? You're alive?" Flash said as Spyro's presence finally registered in his mind. "We all thought you were dead. How…?"

"I survived thanks to Cynder over here," Spyro said, opening the wing closest to Cynder in a gesture towards her and soon wrapping it around her waist. "I've spent the past twenty years in Warfang and I should've come to visit, but that just never happened."

"It's alright, son," Flash said with a smile, flying up towards him. "As long as you're alright, that's all that matters."

"Thanks, Dad," Spyro said with a smile.

Flash grinned back and turned towards Cynder.

"Now, I guess we get to meet the great Cynder in the flesh. Sparx told us all about you," he said. "Don't worry, we forgive you."

"I know," Cynder said gratefully.

Flash smiled at Cynder before he looked back at his foster son. The purple dragon had grown a great deal, now towering over him. His once infant son had now grown and lived a life of his own. It had been twenty years after all, but it still shocked Flash how much Spyro had grown. He wanted to know what he had been up to, if he was happy with the life he was leading. Flash then caught sight of how Spyro held Cynder in his wing and raised an eyebrow.

Spyro seemed to figure out what caused his father's reaction. He chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah, we're mates," he murmured, his blush flaring up again.

"Really? Well, we knew you were a ladies man, even from a young age," Flash smirked, causing Spyro to groan from embarrassment yet again.

"Urh, please not this again."

Cynder chuckled and nuzzled him lovingly, causing his blush to recede a little.

"I'm so proud of you, Spyro. My, my, how much you've grown. For how long?"

"Uhh, about ten years?" Spyro said.

Flash just smiled.

"Got any little ones yet?" he asked.

"No, not quite yet," Cynder answered for her mate. "We've talked about it though."

"I see," Flash said, pausing a bit before speaking up again. "Hey, Spyro, come for a walk with me."

"Oh… okay."

After the topic just raised, Spyro knew what this was about. His heart began to beat just that little bit faster. It was almost how he felt when he was in trouble at a younger age, that small feeling of dread. Flash led him through a clearing and next to a stream where he began in conversation.

"You don't think you're ready, do you?" Flash asked him, causing Spyro to make his eyes wider in surprise.

"How did... How did you know?" he asked his father, turning slightly red.

"A couple of reasons, son. I could see it in your eyes when I brought up the topic. Not only that, but… I felt the same way when your mother laid Sparx's egg. And when she found your egg and brought that home too, I… I didn't know how we were going to take care of you, let alone our _own_ son. It proved to be hard as you probably know, but it turned out well," Flash explained. "I just want you to know that you and Cynder are mates and you should be there for each other, no matter what. Be there for her, Spyro. Love her and stay by her side until your last breath."

"I will, I love her too much and… if I'm honest, I want to have this child, for her but… I just don't think I'm ready," Spyro mumbled, looking down at his paws. "I mean, Sparx told you what happened. All I did was fight after I left. I fought for so long it's all I know. I'm not sure if I'm meant for a life as a father. I don't know if _I_ am right for it, after all those years in war were just spent killing and learning _how_ to kill."

"Spyro, that was war, and those were Malefor's minions. It's not the same. Plus, _no one_ is perfect at the beginning of parenthood. Kids are a huge step in life, and no one is ever _truly_ ready for it," Flash said. "Take Sparx for example. He came to your mother and I in a nervous wreck when he found out that his mate Livvy was gravid. It was the first time we'd ever seen him so nervous."

"Sparx? Nervous? I thought the only emotions he had was angst and fright."

"Yeah, I know. It's kind of hard to believe. But, it happens for everyone. I was nervous too. The important thing is to believe in yourself so you can be there for your mate. She's going to need it. Mothers play an important role in a child's life. A father is too, which is why it's important you try and do right by your child at all costs, but a child relies closely on their mother. And a mother's love for a child is something which can never be broken. A parent must protect their child at all costs, ensuring that it has a stable and happy childhood, nothing like what you and Cynder have been through."

"I understand."

"Good, gah..." Flash groaned as his aura began to dim a little.

"Dad? You okay?" Spyro asked in concern.

"Yes, yes I'm fine. It'll go in a few seconds," Flash reassured as his little face scrunched up with pain. "I'm getting old Spyro, I'm afraid I won't be around much longer."

"WHAT?!" Spyro exclaimed, tears already building in his eyes. "But I only just found you again!"

"I'm old, Spyro. Dragonflies don't live anywhere _near_ as long as dragons do," Flash said. "I'm just happy I got to see you again after all this time."

"No, you can't go. Please Dad. Dad, you can't. There's so much I want to tell you, so much I want to know!" Spyro denied, the tears beginning to fall down his face.

"You can't change the course of life, Spyro. If it's my time, it's my time. I've come to terms with that."

"But you're the only father I have! I never knew my birth family and I lost Ignitus twenty years ago, and now you say you're going to die too?!"

"Spyro, you don't need me anymore. You have a wife, you're planning for a family and you have a promising life ahead of you. You don't need to keep looking over your shoulder."

"I do. I do, Dad, you're wrong. I can stay here until you die. I can stay here for however long I need to."

"But I don't know when I'm going to die. All I know is that it's coming soon. You can't just stay here. Like I said, you have a promising life ahead of you. Sometimes you need to stop clinging onto the past and keep journeying into the future. Hold onto the memories and remember them with everything you've got, yes, but if you continue to live in the past, you won't get anywhere in life."

Spyro merely bowed his head, knowing his father was right. This last visit would be the last time he would ever see Flash, and it tore his heart in two as he struggled to control his sobs. Flash flew forward and gave Spyro a small hug on the muzzle.

"You remember what I told you all those years ago?" he asked Spyro.

"What?"

"Keep your head up, your nose clean and use that breath of yours wisely," Flash recalled, causing Spyro to chuckle a little. "All gifts come with a price."

"Now that I do remember."

Flash turned back towards the clearing and led Spyro back through to where their house was. Cynder and Nina were sitting close to the tree, deep in conversation. Spyro began to walk over but was stopped in his tracks by a blue dragonfly with a broad smile on her face.

"Ah Flash, finally found you," the dragonfly said, soon turning her attention onto Spyro. "You must be Spyro. I'm Livvy, Sparx's mate."

"Nice to meet you," Spyro greeted with a smile.

"Likewise, Sparx has told me all about you," Livvy said with a sly smile on her face.

"All good things I hope," Spyro said. "But then again, it is Sparx we're talking about, so he probably did overexaggerate."

"Well that _is_ Sparx," she chuckled. "Although he was rather charming when we first met... still _is _to be completely honest."

"I was meant to ask, how did you two meet?" Spyro asked with interest, wanting to know how his brother managed to find the dragonfly who was before him.

"Well, it's kind of a long story," she said, rubbing the back of her neck with a hand.

"I've got time," Spyro replied as he waited in anticipation.

"Well, it was a few years ago and I was playing hide and seek with some of my friends when I saw him hovering by a stream. He looked a bit down and I thought he needed a bit of company. So I went over there and… well… I scared him enough that he fell in the stream."

"Then what happened?" Spyro asked while trying to stop himself from bursting out laughing.

"You could probably tell that he wasn't best pleased but I asked him what was wrong. He was a little upset and I could tell that he had something on his mind. He told me that he missed you and wished he stayed with you when you went to defeat Malefor. Well I said that he would've been dead too if he went with you, since we didn't know that you were alive at the time. Well, I told him that I remember you, Spyro, trying to hit on me when you were younger and that seemed to cheer him up a bit."

Spyro turned bright red and widened his eyes. He didn't even recognise her. He knew the name was familiar, but he couldn't put his paw on it, until now.

"W-W-Wait, what?" he asked in panic.

"I remember it clear as day Spyro," Livvy smirked. "And so did Sparx. He cheered up a bit after that and then we just talked for ages, getting to know each other properly. We soon realised that it was becoming more than just good friends so… I ended up asking him one evening if he wanted to be my mate. You can imagine his reaction."

"Yeah, I can," Spyro replied, before his stammering picked up again. "B-b-b-but it was y-y-you that I…? Livvy, I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it Spyro, I thought it was kinda cute the way that you fell head over heels. Both physically and figuratively. Even funnier as we're completely different species too."

Spyro let out an embarrassed groan, before he turned his attention over towards his mother and Cynder. They were deep in conversation, smiling and giggling at some points. Spyro couldn't help but smile at seeing his wife so happy.

'_I'm glad she's happy,' _he thought to himself. '_I wonder what they're talking about."_

* * *

"So Spyro actually fell for a dragonfly?!" Cynder asked, trying to not burst out laughing.

"Yes he did! He wouldn't stop running after her," Nina chuckled in reply, causing Cynder to snicker loudly.

"Even after the whole mushroom powder incident?"

"Well, he spent a few days a little bitter about it, but yes," Nina said, before she let out a choking sound as she struggled to contain her laughter. "But you want to know the best thing about it?"

"What?" Cynder inquired, leaning forward slightly.

"The dragonfly Spyro fell for was actually Livvy, who's now Sparx's mate!"

Cynder burst out in a heavy fit of guffaws. What were the chances of that happening? She looked over, seeing Spyro in her peripheral vision, talking with his father and another female dragonfly. Spyro looked utterly embarrassed, and Cynder was sure that that was Livvy, and that she was telling Spyro herself that she was the dragonfly he'd fallen for.

"I'm glad he has _you _though," Nina resolved as she turned her attention over to Cynder. "He loves you very much, I can tell."

"I dunno what I'd do without him sometimes," Cynder confessed. "He's always there, no matter what."

"That's my Spyro," Nina said with pride.

Cynder looked at Spyro who was now laughing along with Livvy and Flash, and she gave a loving smile at him, staring deep into his amethyst eyes from afar. She heard Nina sigh behind her.

"Ah, the days of young love. I remember it well," Nina said softly as her eyes flashed with memories of the past.

Cynder turned towards Nina, raising an eyebrow.

"Young? You're only two or so decades older than Spyro and I," she said slightly perplexed.

"Remember we're dragonflies, Cynder. We don't live anywhere as long as you," Nina explained, and Cynder suddenly noticed the gravelly tone in her voice that came with old age.

Her face fell as she put the pieces together, especially when taking into consideration what it'd mean for poor Spyro when his foster family would all but eventually pass away, _long_ before he would. She turned towards Spyro again, her heart breaking to see him so happy when she knew she'd have to watch him mourn again. Ignitus' death was hard for him to get over. It was for her as well, but Spyro struggled more, as the fire guardian had been a father figure for him. Spyro had mourned initially at the Belt of Fire, but after the war and they had to explain the news to the other guardians about Ignitus' passing, Spyro was very sombre and upset. She didn't want to see him like that again; she didn't want to prepare herself for it.

Nina guessed Cynder's thoughts as they both stared at the beaming purple dragon. Nina stared down at her and recognised that look of unbreakable love on her face. Although Cynder's past was a dark, Spyro provided the light to climb herself out and Nina was unbelievably proud that the two dragons were happy in each other's arms. However, Cynder's face dropped suddenly as she realised something.

"You don't want to see him grieve, do you?" she asked the dragoness, who shook her head. "That's the important thing about love, Cynder: being there for each other. You're mates now, so you're bound to each other. You vowed to stay by his side and provide support for him, as he with you. I know it'll be hard, but from what little I've seen of you, you love him very much. Because of that love, I know that you will always be there for him."

"I just… don't know how I'll have to act, though. Spyro is always so supportive and he always knows what to say but… I don't know what to say. I mean, I don't even know my family. I've never had one. How can I help Spyro get through grieving his family if I don't even know what it means to have one?"

"_Spyro_'s your family isn't he? Doesn't that make _us_ your family too? Look, I know you don't know us that well, but we're still in full support of you. You're my daughter-in-law now, Cynder. Through foster means or not."

Cynder just blinked, jaw agape. She'd never had a family to call her own. Now she had a mother. And a father. In-laws, sure, but it made no difference to her. She couldn't believe they were so accepting of her. After all that she had done, the death and destruction that she had caused, they still wanted to give her the same love and protection that they had offered Spyro and this warmed her heart greatly.

Nina looked up at the sky and realised that the sun was going down. Cynder yawned wildly and her eyelids drooped to the point where they were almost closed.

"Sun's going down, we should be getting some shut eye," Nina said as she ushered Cynder over to the others.

"I can agree with that."

"Come on guys, sun's getting low. We should be getting some shut eye. Spyro, you still remember where your room is right?" Nina asked him.

"Of course, follow me Cynder. Good night everyone," Spyro said as he began to walk back to his old room.

As he entered, it was exactly how he left it. Small wooden figures which he carved with his claws were sitting on a large plank of wood and his old bed of leaves were positioned at the back. The entire room was drafty, a chill meeting both of the two dragons.

"Oh wow…" Spyro gasped as he picked up one of his wooden carvings. "I remember these. I didn't have any toys as a hatchling so I made my own."

"Wow Spyro, no wonder where you got your creativity from," Cynder said as she too picked one up to give a closer inspection.

Spyro laid himself down and ushered Cynder to join his side. She accepted his invitation and curled up next to him with her head resting on the side of his shoulder, Spyro closing his eyes and sighing in content and she snuggled up next to him.

"Spyro?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what honey?" asked Spyro, opening his eyes slightly.

"For giving me a family, for letting me marry you and for everything," Cynder said softly.

"It's my pleasure."

With the moonlight beaming through the gaps of the leaves, Spyro and Cynder feel into the peaceful embrace of sleep, breathing rhythmically and dreaming of one another in each other's arms.

* * *

**There we have it! Chapter 4 is done! That was the longest chapter we've ever written but I'm happy that it's done. I want to thank SKda for beta-reading and helping out with this chapter and Cheetah for co-writing. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Hope you guys leave some good reviews and all of you new readers some follows and we'll try and bring out the next chapter soon.**

**Hope you all have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic signing off… ^_^**


	7. CH5: The Sickness Begins

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. I don't know about you guys reading but I am really enjoying writing this. I don't know why, but I get some really weird flair while writing. It's probably because I'm writing about Spyro with my girlfriend and it's getting beta-read. Yeah it must be that. Anyway, thanks again to everyone who has reviewed and the new followers who have just joined us.**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- HolyCross  
\- Jos Vitor  
\- TARDIS**

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and even remotely read this story. It means a lot. Anyway, let's get on with the chapter as this one is where things are going to get interesting. Hope you guys enjoy the new chapter. And without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Sickness Begins**

Inferno arrived early at the temple to get to work on his daily tasks. Although Spyro and Cynder were absent, it wasn't as tough as he thought. Cyril and Terrador were doing a great job at keeping the younglings in check, Saiph was carrying on with her job perfectly and... then there was Frisia. She seemed to talk to him a lot more, which he didn't mind, but when she did, it was as if someone had kicked him up the backside. He knew that he tenses up and babbles like a baby around her. What infuriated him the most was that he didn't know the reason for his strange antics.

"Hey Inferno," said a sweet voice next to him, making him tense yet again.

"Oh, h-h-hey Frisia," he stammered, breaking into a small sweat. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Thought I'd do a bit of light reading and learn a bit more about our ancestors and... more about the mechanics of flying," she replied, channeling a sweet smile onto her maw that made Inferno's heart skip a beat.

Inferno gulped. What was wrong with him? His thoughts were running rampant as his eyes scanned her features. He was out of his mind and out of control of his body. The strangest thing was though, he could tell that she was slightly tensed too and her eyes were darting in every direction like she was following the flight of a fly.

"Oh, right," he stammered nervously.

'_Come on Inferno, get a grip.'_

"Hey, I was wondering," Frisia said as she rubbed the back of her neck with a paw, tensing up a bit more and seeming to be nervous herself. "Do you want to go somewhere after work today? As in… oh man… um…"

"Dinner?!" Inferno exclaimed, making Frisia jump slightly. "Sorry, do you mean dinner?"

"Sure, that's if you want to," Frisia said, turning a light shade of red.

"Yeah, I'd love to," beamed Inferno, about to burst with the amount of joy and euphoria inside him.

"Great, I'll see you after work," said Frisia as she turned towards the library.

"Yeah sure, see you then Frisia!"

Inferno couldn't stop smiling, and sighing with relief. Did that really just happen? He carried on with his early chores with a skip in his step, barely containing the excitement which was boiling inside of him. Now, he had something to work for.

* * *

As the sun was rising, Spyro and Cynder said their goodbyes to Flash and Nina for one final time before taking flight into the sunrise. Sparx had told them that he would join them in Warfang soon, but he had to take care of business in the swamp first. Spyro flew a little ahead of Cynder to hide his emotional state. Although he was doing his best to subdue the tears that were trying to billow out of his eyes, he couldn't stop the emotion from reaching his face.

"I'm sorry Spyro," Cynder said softly.

"They're not dead yet Cynder," he replied, keeping his face fixed on the horizon.

"No, but I'm sorry that you had to hear that."

"It's okay; I have you, and that's the most important thing," he cooed, turning his teary eyes onto her.

Cynder gave Spyro a warm smile before floating over to him and giving the purple dragon a soft nuzzle on his neck. Spyro looked down and saw how calm the ocean was. Although he had a bad reputation with the ocean - a tendency to fall into it - he still liked the way it moved, the way it swayed. Every wave and splish and splash made him remember the beauty of what he saved all those years ago. But what hurt the most, was that he couldn't save his parents. It was life, and he had to accept that.

Cynder however, was beaming. Although she knew that they would not be around for much longer, she was accepted by a family. A family that cared for her and loved her. She portrayed her happiness into her flying as she sighed contently with the wind breezing over her face and her eyes closed. Spyro loved seeing her this happy, it was something that he could never get tired of.

They flew on further, sharing joyful glances at each other as the sun rose higher. It was a hot day, but neither dragons felt it as they were protected by the cooling sensation of the wind beneath their wings. Spyro closed his eyes to succumb to the feeling, instantly becoming at one with the wind and the sky. Suddenly, Spyro felt rather dizzy and wobbled/ /in mid-air. He felt his heart beat faster and he was breaking into a sweat. Soon nausea and migraines hit him like a bus, channeling through his body and making him stiffen. Spyro lost consciousness, falling to the ground as his body shook violently.

"SPYRO!"

Cynder shot downwards in an attempt to catch him. She tucked her wings in and zoomed downwards, soon catching up to him and grabbing his shoulders as she snapped her wings open. Cynder spied a small patch of land and hastily flew over before placing Spyro down carefully.

"Spyro?! Spyro, can you hear me? Spyro?!" she questioned the quivering Spyro, fear overtaking her as she watched her mate become possessed by violent convulsions. "Oh ancestors."

Spyro's only response was some troubled groans and violent jolts of his body. He was sweating wildly and his eyes were tightly shut. A look of pain contorted his face as a heavy spasm overtook him, his pained groans wobbling as his body shook. His paws were stiff and firm, claws lashing out at the air. His muscles visibly contracted in his arms, and Cynder winced, imagining his pain. She shook him once more to try and grab his attention, but his only reaction was a cry of pain as his abdomen constricted underneath Cynder's paws. His chest heaved with the heavy, irregular movement of his lungs as he struggled to breathe, mixed with heavy spasms of his chest muscles. Another shaky cry burst from his jaws.

There was no way she was going to be able to get him out of this. She had to get him back to Warfang, and _fast_. She slowly raised him onto her back, trying to block out his cries of protest. With Spyro safely on her back, Cynder pushed herself into the air and rocketed towards Warfang.

"Just hold on Spyro!" she pleaded. "We're going to get help."

Cynder flew as fast as she could, using her powers of wind to help her with her increasing velocity. As she flew at speeds greater than what she was used to, she looked up at her seizing mate, feeling him quaking uncontrollably on her back. More groans and cries came from his throat, and it wasn't long before foam began to form around his lips. He let out another groan before it was interrupted by a loud gag as he choked on his own spit. She'd never seen him like this and it _terrified _her. She didn't even know Spyro was _prone_ to seizures, and if he wasn't, then something _really_ wrong was going on with him. Cynder knew she was running out of time and propelled forward. Although she was going as fast as she could, Warfang was quite a distance from where Spyro's seizure began.

"Please Spyro, fight it. We'll be home soon, just stay with me."

* * *

Inferno finished his duties for the day and waited patiently outside of the temple for Frisia to arrive. As expected, he was nervous. The day went unbelievably quickly, each hour passing as if it was a second. Inferno was sweating wildly and was tensed. He'd never done anything like this before; this was unfamiliar ground for the fire apprentice. He gulped and set his eyes on the afternoon sun. It was high and hot in the sky, beaming down upon the city he lived in. The buildings towered above him in the summer sun, shining brightly as it radiated with golden light. Inferno's pupils were glowing as he stared at the buildings around him; waiting for his date to arrive.

"Hey Inferno," said a sweet voice behind him.

"Hello Frisia, you ready to go?" asked Inferno, getting more and more nervous as he took in more of Frisia's figure.

"Ready and waiting," Frisia beamed as she entwined her tail with Inferno's.

The fire dragon blushed a little and was taken aback at Frisia's recent action. Nobody had ever taken an interest in him, let alone show a display of affection. Inferno cleared his throat and wiped his forehead with a paw before walking with his tail coiled around Frisia's. They smiled awkwardly at each other from time to time before swiftly looking away and surveying their surroundings. Inferno tried to think of something to create a conversation, reaching into the back of his mind for anything to say.

"So… um… where are you taking me?" he asked the dragoness next to him.

"You'll see," she teased as her eyes scanned for the restaurant that she had booked earlier on that day.

Frisia and Inferno walked on further, walking past moles and other dragons who were on their way back from work, pleading for the comfort of home. Frisia had seen her fair share of war, having to see her father fight her battles for her. Inferno on the other hand, had very little experience. Living so far away and protected from the torment of battle, his eyes never saw a single drop of blood being spilt. However, both dragons could still sense the relief and happiness of the creatures around them. Peace was plentiful and quiet. It was bliss. Frisia stopped suddenly, nearly sending Inferno head over heels.

"We're here," Frisia grinned as she stood in front of the door.

Inferno looked at the small restaurant where his date had brought him. It was small and quaint but no less appealing and sweet. The name 'The Arctic Dragon' was plastered on a plaque over the top of a glass door and was surrounded by bright light bulbs. In the windows were posters displaying all of the mouthwatering meals that they served. Inferno's mouth was already watering from the sight of these menus and was eager to jump inside to get served.

"This looks nice," he said to Frisia.

"Yeah, me and my dad used to come here for dinner sometimes," Frisia explained. "They're highly recommended."

"Well, what do you say we go in rather than stand here and turn into an omelette?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Frisia led Inferno to the main reception where they stood in wait to get seated. The fire dragon was already very nervous and breaking into a small sweat. He rubbed the back of his neck with a paw and tapped a claw onto the wood floor in an attempt to remove his nervousness. He peered over at Frisia who wore a calm expression, maintaining a sweet smile on her maw. Inferno's eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat as he continued to stare at her.

"Table for two please," she said as one of the waiters walked over to them, snapping Inferno out of the trance he was in.

"This way please."

The waiter led them through a small corridor and ushered them to sit at a mahogany table next to a greatly cleaned window overlooking the streets. Inferno sat himself down and felt the table underneath his paws. It was greatly polished, not a smear or mark on its surface. That was until he placed his paws onto it and created a sweaty paw mark on it. Frisia gently sat herself down too and peered out of the window.

"Lovely evening," she said as she stared at the sun setting.

"Y-Y-Yeah, it sure is," replied a nervous Inferno, who was still sweating buckets.

"You haven't done anything like this before have you?" she asked him.

"Not really no," he said nervously, trying to avoid eye contact with the ice dragoness.

"It's okay," Frisia chuckled. "This is my first time too."

She smiled sweetly at the fire dragon who sat opposite her, looking timid and shy. She placed a tender paw on his and felt his warmth. Inferno was taken aback at her action but also enjoyed the feeling. Her paws were gentle and soft, almost delicate. He gave her a small smile and sat up straight, smiling broadly as he picked up a menu and began to scan through it. Frisia on the other hand, was letting her thoughts run wild. She peered at Inferno, taking in his features. His eyes. They burned with the brightest flame, almost feeling as if they were lighting up her heart. Inferno's scales were polished and shiny, reflecting the light of a lamp that was positioned in the middle of the table. Behind that timid brick wall, was a strong and handsome dragon whom Frisia was beginning to see clearly. Her heart skipped a beat, realising her thoughts.

"_Handsome? Well… I can't deny that. Look at those scales and… woah… those eyes. Huh, well… he is kinda cute."_

Frisia smiled and picked up a menu herself and looked at the selection of meals. After a few minutes, both dragons had ordered and began to get to know each other more. Hours went past as the couple enjoyed each other's company, laughing about work colleagues and discussing problems that also plagued them. Inferno had never felt so happy. Just sitting down and getting to know Frisia over a meal was something he was really enjoying. She was a very interesting dragoness and he loved her casual and kind tone.

The thing however that would likely make their relationship the most interesting was the fact that Frisia was the daughter of a guardian, especially Cyril. He wondered what that would have been like. So, he decided to ask her.

"Hey, Frisia? I'm a bit interested, what's it like being the daughter of a guardian?" he questioned.

Frisia just chuckled as she swallowed the remainder of a breadstick. She'd been asked this question quite a lot, so she'd had a lot of time to think about her answer.

"It's pretty interesting to say the least. My father's very loving; I know he loves me with all his heart. When he was around it was so enjoyable just being with him. My status as daughter of the guardian also made me kinda popular in school which I was cool with, but I was shy and just stuck around my small friend group," she explained. "I also got to go along with him to some guardian meetings when Mother was busy, so that was cool as well. I think Volteer had a soft spot for me but it was likely because he likes kids, hence why he's still teaching them now. Father was pretty protective over me and he and Volteer got into some interesting arguments, but they always kept it as low as possible while I was around. I swear it got more heated after I left. Ignitus was always fun to be around, and Terrador was… a little scary, I must admit, but that was because he used to be a soldier before he became a guardian. But I always enjoyed being with my father, and have very fond memories with him, even now we are still making plenty. The war was pretty scary though, with him going away for long periods of time, often coming back very wounded. Hearing that Cynder captured him in the Tall Plains terrified me, knowing that he was gone for so long, so you can imagine how happy I was when he came back home."

"Yeah, I can," Inferno said with a half-hearted smile.

Frisia noticed this and her smile faltered. A caring look filled her expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, it's just that… I… I don't know my father," Inferno replied. "Living with Mother was nice, and I know she loves me. The community at Stormbreaker's was good too, but there was always an emptiness. Like something was missing."

"I'm sorry, Inferno… for bringing up my father."

"It's alright, Frisia. I'm used to it by now and I've accepted it, plus I was the one who asked."

Frisia gave him a loving smile.

"Don't worry about it. If you need to talk about it, I'd love to help. Since we're going on a date and everything, why don't we begin a relationship. I mean, I've never done anything like this but I know that we have to be there for each other and I'm willing to do that. I don't know what it's like not having a father, but I know the fear of him not coming back so I can piece together what it would be like," Frisia said, her eyes sparkling with care. "I'm here if you need it, Inferno."

Inferno was taken aback at Frisia's words but smiled greatly at her kindness, gratitude gleaming in his eyes. He took his paw in hers and stroked it gently. Inferno had never felt happier. He opened his mouth to reply, until there was a large crash from right outside the window, causing the dating couple to jump, whipping their heads around to stare at the scene outside. They gasped with shock as they were greeted with Spyro and Cynder crumpled in a heap on the ground. Cynder held Spyro firmly, and the purple dragon was shaking tremendously, claws raised ready to swipe at the air, foam spilling from his open mouth.

Both dragons abandoned their table and ran outside, helping Cynder up.

"What happened?!" Inferno exclaimed. "What's wrong with him?!"

"I don't know!" Cynder replied, voice thick with emotion as she tried to hold back tears. "We were flying back home from the swamp and on the way there Spyro just fell out of the sky and started having a seizure! I don't know where this came from because this is the first time it's happened in the whole twenty-three years I've known him, and it's just gotten worse!"

Spyro gave a loud gurgle, creating some truth to her words as pain edged his voice, slicing through it like a knife.

"What's wrong with him?" Inferno asked, turning to Frisia.

Frisia reached forward hesitantly, placing a paw on his heaving chest. His heart was beating wildly, and his spasms were violent and irregular. She retreated it with a look of confusion on her face.

"I… I don't know. It's a seizure for sure, but it's a bit odd if this is his first one. Normally dragons prone to seizures begin having them when they're maturing, not when they're grown adults," Frisia explained. "Not only that, but there's something else going on inside him. I know I'm not magical like other dragons, but something isn't right. The way he's shaking… it's too violent for it to be a regular seizure."

"What are you saying?" Cynder asked her, pleading for an answer.

"What I'm saying is, this is no normal seizure. Something is causing it, and I'm certain it's not a bodily function."

A concerning silence roamed around the three dragons who peered down at the convulsing Spyro, still choking and writhing as he tried to breathe.

"What do we do?" Inferno asked them, fear edging his voice.

"We need to get him to Sapphire," Frisia replied. "She'll know what to do."

Cynder nodded and pushed Spyro onto her back before taking off again with Inferno and Frisia on either side of her. She zoomed through the moonlit streets, dodging the lamps that blocked her path. Within minutes she arrived at the infirmary, bolstering through the doors and running up to the main desk.

"WHERE IS SAPPHIRE?! WE NEED HER!" Cynder screamed at the receptionist who nodded quickly and rushed into the nearest room.

After a few seconds, Sapphire came running into the reception and began examining Spyro. Her eyes widening as she placed a paw onto his head and chest.

"Get him into the operating theatre, now!" Sapphire ordered them. "Frisia, with me!"

Cynder carried Spyro through to operating theatre and placed him onto a large table covered in sheets. The room was large and oval, clean and pearl white. A series of lamps were positioned above the table where Spyro was placed. Sapphire placed a paw onto Spyro's chest, feeling his heart before conferring with Frisia.

"Get Volteer, we need a shock exactly on his vagus nerve to correct this," Sapphire ordered as calmly as she could.

"I'm on it," Inferno said as he rushed out the door and over towards the temple.

Cynder walked forward and took hold of Spyro's paw, tears forming in her eyes. Frisia placed a supportive paw on her shoulder and Cynder closed her eyes to try and fight back the tears that were begging to make their appearance.

"He's strong, he'll be okay," Frisia said softly.

"He's the strongest," Cynder corrected, sniffling and swallowing the heavy lump in her throat. "Nobody is stronger than my Spyro."

"That's true enough," Sapphire added. "Hopefully Inferno hurries, we need that shock soon or it's going to get worse. _Much_ worse..."

* * *

Inferno raced through the streets, dodging empty market stalls as he made his way to the temple. Luckily for him, the streets were bare as it was very late into the night, allowing him to rush through Warfang at a faster pace than he normally would have, paws skidding and sliding on the cobblestone pavement as he turned the sharp corners at speed. Within a few minutes, Inferno managed to reach the temple and bashed his way inside. The fire dragon ran through the corridors and came to the guardian's chambers. He threw open the doors with a large resounding slam, out of breath and his face stricken with worry.

"Inferno! You of all people should know to knock before you enter a guardian's chambers," Terrador reminded him with a stern look.

"I know and I'm sorry but it's Spyro! He's… He's… Something's wrong with him! He's sick or something, I don't know!" Inferno gasped as he tried to catch his breath and speak at the same time.

Terrador's face filled with concern and nervousness, as did Cyril's, who had been writing in a book before Inferno had burst into the room, The nervousness in their faces became accented even further as a rather sleepy Volteer made an appearance. He was wearing a small sleeping cap and had a black eye mask on, covering his eyes.

"Do you fellow lizards not know how to conduct the incredible art of slumber?!" he questioned them as he raised his eye mask, slightly annoyed that he was woken.

"Master Volteer! I need you to come with me now," Inferno begged him.

"Absolutely _not_! I will not go anywhere at this ungodly hour," Volteer argued as he yawned widely, showing off his teeth.

"Please Master! It's Spyro, we need your help!" Inferno pleaded with him, voice frantic and shaky.

Volteer's face dropped to one of seriousness as he threw off his cap and eye mask before rushing out of the door. Inferno followed him as both dragons rocketed out of the temple.

"Where is he?" Volteer asked Inferno, his voice low and serious.

"At the Infirmary!" Inferno replied.

Volteer picked up the pace and surged forward arriving at the Infirmary in only a few minutes. Inferno landed behind him and began to lead Volteer to the ward where Spyro was being kept.

* * *

"CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING SAPPHIRE?!" Cynder yelled as Spyro's convulsions began to grow more vigorous.

"No, I'm afraid not," Sapphire said softly. "All we can do is wait for Volteer."

Cynder whimpered, tightening her grip on Spyro's shaking frame. She turned her head to look at Spyro's face, which was contorted by an expression of pain and fear, eyes screwed shut and foam dripping down his lips. His shaking was violent and constant, but every once in a while, spasms more violent than his regular shaking fits overtook him. Another vicious spasm seized him, and it was the most violent one yet. It forced his muscles to contract in a way that pushed Cynder away from him, and a raw scream tore from his throat. Thick strings of foamy saliva hung from his jaws, collecting onto his tongue and rolling down it into his throat. His scream was cut off as he choked on the saliva running down his throat, causing him to fall into a hacking fit. Cynder struggled to keep her emotions in check watching this, and tears began to stream from her eyes.

The sound of heavy pawsteps alerted Cynder, Frisia and Sapphire, and they turned to see Inferno and Volteer running down the hall and into the room, sweat caking both of their faces from the sheer amount of exercise they had done running at full speed down the streets of Warfang.

"Volteer, good you're here," said a relieved Sapphire, whose voice was shaking with concern.

She walked forward slowly, watching as Spyro's savage spasm ended, leaving him under the regular shaking that he had been exposed to for the past few minutes.

"Volteer, I need you to place your paws here and exert an electrical circuit through his body," Sapphire instructed, pointing to Spyro's chest and the side of his neck.

Volteer looked down at Spyro who was still gagging and barely clinging onto life, concern swallowing his face. He gulped, before he walked forward until he was standing over the shaking Spyro. He placed one paw on the purple dragon's chest, over his heart, and another on his throat. Volteer felt Spyro's heavy spasms under his paws, and it pained him to feel the truly relentless nature of the seizure. Volteer squinted his eyes and a look of seriousness spread across his face, creating a foreign expression that nobody had seen on the electric guardian. He sent a small jolt of energy through his paws, sparkling brightly as it buzzed and glittered, circuiting throughout Spyro's body. Spyro gave a jolt at the initial shock of the electricity, but it seemed to recalibrate his bodily functions. Within seconds, Spyro had stopped gagging and his convulsions began to cease. Cynder breathed a sigh of relief and walked forwards towards the still purple dragon, holding his paw firmly in hers.

"Cynder, may I have a word with you?" Volteer asked Cynder as he turned towards the door.

"S-Sure yeah," she said nervously. "Take care of him okay?"

Sapphire and Frisia nodded as Cynder made her way out into the corridor where Volteer was waiting anxiously with a look of both fear and dread on his face.

"What is it Volteer?" she asked the electric dragon.

Volteer rubbed the back of his neck and he turned fearful towards her, eyes which she had seen since the belt of fire.

"This was no ordinary seizure," he said in a low and serious voice, causing Cynder to gasp. "Something did this, I'm not sure what and I'm not sure how. But it's dangerous."

"What are you saying? Someone did this to him?" she asked as she clenched her paws, wanting to choke the life out of the creature that had hurt her husband.

"Not someone, something," Volteer stated. "You must be careful Cynder, you must keep an eye on him at all times."

"But what would I be looking for? Please help me Volteer," she pleaded with him, tears streaming down her face.

"I will do everything in my power to find out what is happening to him. In the meantime, I suggest you stay with him, just in case anything else happens," Volteer said softly with a small smile.

"Okay, thank you Volteer."

Volteer nodded softly and made his way out of the infirmary. Cynder walked solemnly back into the room where Spyro was laying with a wet towel on his forehead and covered with a small blanket. He looked so peaceful as he lay still, breathing evenly, a calm expression on his unconscious face. Inferno and Frisia were sitting on their haunches and looking over Spyro with concerned faces, Frisia's head leaning on Inferno's shoulder. Cynder brought a small smile onto her maw as she saw the two dragons together.

"It's cute," Cynder said quietly.

"What is?" Frisia asked as she quickly removed her head from Inferno's shoulder.

"You and Inferno."

"Oh no, we're not a- I mean we're not-"

"It's okay Frisia, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to," chuckled Cynder, holding up a paw.

Frisia chuckled too but Inferno just stared blankly and blushed wildly. Frisia placed her head back on his shoulder which snapped him out of the embarrassed trance he was in. Cynder turned back towards Spyro, who was sleeping soundly.

"You two can go home, it's getting really late."

"No, we want to stay with you," Inferno said as he yawned.

"No, go home and get some sleep," Cynder ordered as she continued to stare at Spyro.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Okay, goodnight Cynder," Frisia said as she led Inferno out of the room.

"Goodnight you two."

Sapphire appeared from the medication room and took a look at Spyro again.

"He seems much better now," she said in relief. "I've given him an anesthetic, he should be awake in the morning."

"Thank you Sapphire," Cynder said as she kept her eyes fixed on Spyro.

"Do you want me to walk you out?"

"No, I'm staying here tonight," she said, releasing her stubborn side. "I'm too scared to leave him."

"I understand, goodnight Cynder."

"Night."

Sapphire left the room, leaving Cynder alone with Spyro. Her paws were trembling and tears were forming in her eyes. She placed a tender paw on Spyro's, which flexed a little and strengthened a grip around hers. Spyro formed a grin on his maw as he slept, making Cynder heart lift a little.

"Cyn….der…."

"Shhhh, sleep now," she hushed, stroking his forehead with a tender paw. "You need rest, I'm right here Spyro."

Cynder watched over him for most of the night, she couldn't bear to lose him. When Cynder was sick with a fever or flu, Spyro would stay up all night, changing her towels and making sure she was comfortable. He never left her side. Now, Cynder was in Spyro's position, looking over him with pity and heartbreak.

"Goodnight Spyro, sleep well."

Cynder watched him until her eyes could no longer stay open, falling into a peaceful slumber next to Spyro. As she was sleeping, Spyro breathed out, an eerie black mist floating up out of Spyro's mouth as the air left his lungs. They... were not alone…

* * *

**There we have it! Chapter 5 is done. Holy hell this took longer than I expected, haha. Probably because of Cheetah going to her new college and everything so I'm sorry about the wait. I've started back at school now so the chapters may take longer to come out, depending on how much work I've got to do. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the new chapter. I love reading your reviews so please keep them coming, it brightens my day. Hope you guys are having an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic… signing off ^_^**


	8. CH6: A Fading Mind

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. I am really starting to enjoy myself here and I'm fairly sure you guys are too. After the eerie events of the last chapter, I'm sure many of you are eager for me to begin. But before I do that, thank you to everyone who has reviewed recently:**

**\- TARDIS**

**\- Dragon of Mystery**

**\- Jos Vitor**

**\- IllusionMaster**

**Thanks so much for reading and keeping up with it. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter because this is where things get a little tense…**

**Now without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains mild bad language and some graphic gore. Reader discretion is advised.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: A Fading Mind**

Spyro woke up in a cold and eerie forest, a low and choking smoke smothering the ground below him menacingly. His muscles felt weak beneath him, screaming and begging him to stay where he was. Where was he? Spyro blinked a few times, trying to make his vision more clear.

"Hello?!" he croaked out in the fog, his voice dry and hoarse.

He was surrounded by trees and cloaked in darkness, losing all sense of direction he had. Spyro pushed himself up with a groan and began to wander into the mist. For a few seconds, he was completely blind, unable to see what was two feet in front of him, bumping into a tree as he wandered. He felt weird in his stomach, his head was burning too. It was almost like he was feeling… anger? The purple dragon remained on guard, feeling slightly scared and confused before he was struck with a series of pains. Spyro clutched his head and groaned, pain flooding through the top of it.

"What is... happening to me?!"

A high pitched ringing flew through his eyes, only lasting a few seconds before it all subsided. Spyro looked around nervously and remained on guard. He had no idea where he was, but he was certain that he was not alone.

As he kept walking, Spyro realised that he was beginning to see a red light in the distance. Hoping it was salvation, Spyro quickened his pace, almost tripping over his own paws as he ran at a colossal speed. As the light continued to get brighter and the fog less dense, Spyro's eyes filled with hope and curiosity. As he broke through however, they were filled with horror.

In front of him was a burning Warfang, smoke billowing up into the sky like a tornado. The flames burned with a thousand infernos, spreading into his eyes and tearing his heart in two. Spyro raced to the entrance, trying to find any trace of a survivor. The walls were dripping with blood, painting them a sickening red and making Spyro retch in disgust. As he wandered in further, he was surrounded by his fallen guardians, whose bodies were mangled and torn apart. Disembodied tails and scaly flesh were littered all around him, caked in blood and choked by intestinal organs. Screaming pierced his ears like a needle, making him wince. Spyro could only gasp at the events that were shaping before him. Was this real?

Spyro only had one thing on his mind. Cynder. Where was she?

"CYNDER! WHERE ARE YOU?!" he screamed into the flames before flying into the air to see if he could spot her.

Spyro's eyes darted from corner to corner, scanning every detail for the dragoness he loved. He couldn't bear to lose her, but he knew he had to find her fast. As he looked around, he saw a dark silhouette who was slouched just outside the entrance to the city. It was Cynder, he'd found her at last. Spyro gasped with relief as he rocketed towards her, landing next to her softly.

"Cynder! Oh thank the ancestors! Are you okay? What happened?!" the purple dragon asked her, getting closer to his wife.

Strangely, she didn't move a muscle. She stayed curled up and quaking with fear. Spyro reached out a paw and touched her shoulder before jumping back as she stared at him with teary and terrified eyes.

"Cynder? It's okay, I'm here now," Spyro said softly, trying to reassure her.

"Stay away from me!" Cynder sobbed as she tried to get away from him.

"Cynder? What's wrong? It's me, it's Spyro."

"Get away! You did this! You! MONSTER!"

Monster. The one word which Spyro was scared of. What tortured him the most, though, was the fact that Cynder was saying that he did this. He destroyed Warfang. A sense of dread and panic shot through Spyro like a bullet.

"What do you mean I did this Cynder?! What have I done?!" begged Spyro, beginning to panic.

"YOU KILLED THEM ALL! YOU WERE MEANT TO PROTECT US! I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME!" screamed Cynder, a look of hurt and anger making its presence on her face.

Spyro took a few steps back and saw a change in his scales. He looked down at his paws and took a sharp intake of breath. They were black and soulless, radiating with dark energy. Spyro looked up again and stared at Cynder, but this time he couldn't look away. His body was out of his control, completely moving on its own accord. He continued to walk towards Cynder who began to sob and tremble with fear.

"Cynder run! Get out of here!" he yelled, desperately trying to save the dragon he loved.

Despite all of his efforts, Cynder was still curled up and quaking. It was almost as if she didn't hear him, like his voice didn't get through. Spyro tried to turn his body, but was unable to move. He was forced to watch as his controlled body drew ever closer to Cynder, the spade-like tailblade beginning to rise above his head.

"No! Cynder!"

As his body reached her, Spyro tried desperately to try and regain control of it in an attempt to save his wife. As he was trying, Spyro looked towards the forest behind Cynder, and saw two deep, pearlescent and soulless eyes gazing back at him as he endured this nightmare. As the tailblade shot down and met with Cynder's flesh, Cynder let out a blood curdling scream and Spyro's own yells ran through his ears, pounding through his head like an alarm bell.

* * *

"NO!"

Spyro awoke with a start, sweating wildly and breathing rapidly. He looked around and checked where he currently was. His eyes darted from each corner to the next, realising that he was in the infirmary. He was covered by a beige blanket and was in a large rectangular room with beds next to him and in front of him. As he sat himself up, he realised he was next to a now wide awake and quite worried Cynder.

"Spyro? You okay?!" asked Cynder, picking herself up so that she was now face to face with Spyro.

"Y-Yeah… I guess so…" he panted, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"What happened? Did you have a nightmare?" she asked him with worried eyes.

"Yeah… It was horrible," he replied, shivering at the thought of the dream that plagued him.

"Well it's over now, it was just a dream," she reassured him as she tenderly stroked his forehead.

"But Cynder…."

"Shhh, just rest for now. We've got a big day today so you'll need your strength."

Spyro gave Cynder a small smile and made himself comfortable on the bed as Sapphire made an appearance with a broad smile on her face and her light blue scales shining like a thousand diamonds.

"Good morning," Sapphire said chirply.

"Morning," smiled Cynder.

"You're looking a bit better today Spyro, now I talked to the guardians and they said that you don't have to go out on your rounds today if you're not up for it. I would highly recommend that you stay here until you're fully healed."

Spyro looked over to Cynder and awaited her approval. She gave a supportive smile and nodded as if to say 'stay here' which Spyro knew he had to obey. He placed his head back onto his paws and sighed sadly. The purple hero hated feeling helpless. It was something that he had never had much experience with, always being able to help people rather than watching from the sidelines. But he knew in his current state, he wouldn't be able to stand up rather than do his guardian rounds. Cynder noticed his solemn look and ushered Sapphire to give them some space.

"Damn, now that is a face like a slapped tail section, Mr Grumpy Scales," Cynder smirked.

"Shut up…" Spyro mumbled as he turned himself over.

"Hey, it's okay," Cynder reassured him as she stroked his back. "I can deal with the rounds on my own today, you just stay here and get some rest."

"But I don't need to rest! I'm no use in here! I need to get out there Cynder," he insisted as he tried to sit himself up.

"You're not going anywhere until you get better," Cynder said with a stern voice, pushing him back down onto the bed. "Now try and get some more rest."

Spyro let out a defeated sigh and gave her a small nod.

"That's my Spyro," she cooed, planting a small kiss on his forehead.

"Only yours, Cynder."

The two dragons shared a small kiss before Cynder and Sapphire said their goodbyes and left the room. Spyro made himself comfortable and closed his eyes for a few seconds. There was a distinct feeling of dread surging through his stomach, and his head wouldn't stop pounding. His limbs were aching and he felt dizzy and nauseous. The memory of the nightmare he had wouldn't stop running through his head.

"What is wrong with me?" he asked himself as he tried to stand himself up but came crashing back down onto the pillow that was holding his head.

Spyro stared blankly at the wall and sighed stagnatiously. He never knew being in the infirmary could be so boring. Although he was in there for a few days after the defeat of Malefor, he had Cynder to keep him company. Now though, he was on his own and left to his thoughts.

* * *

Cynder left the infirmary stricken with worry. She'd never gone anywhere without him since the Night of Eternal Darkness, it was both scary and worrying for the black dragoness. She made her way down the steps on the infirmary, through the market and towards the temple with her face low and hidden in an attempt to hide her emotions.

She wandered past the restaurant where Spyro had taken her for their first date and smiled at the memories that she retained from that night. Spyro seemed very nervous but walked quickly and led Cynder through the lamp lit streets. She could still remember the little bow tie that he wore that sat just above his chest and was a light shade of amethyst. He led her inside and they chatted for hours, talking about past events and what they see for the future. Cynder could never forget how happy Spyro looked, and she was pretty sure that she was beaming for the entire night too.

Cynder walked on and turned the corner to see two dragons, one bearing orange scales and the other yellow, pushing and shoving each other and exchanging insults.

"Well… first task of the day, Spyro, what do you think?" she asked and turned to see that there was no-one there. "Oh…"

She took a deep breath and walked towards the quarreling couple. As she got closer, she realised that they were talking about a position in the market. This was always a very common topic and usually one that was easily resolved.

"Why don't you go over by the cutlery shops? You'll get plenty of attention there!" suggested one.

"Do you think me a swine?! I will most certainly not!" argued another.

"What's going on here then?" Cynder asked while sighing.

Both dragons looked away from each other and turned their gaze towards Cynder, their eyes widening as they bowed in respect to her.

"Mistress Cynder, we apologise for our outburst, but this lizard here thinks that the best place for my stall is in front of a cutlery shop!" complained the orange scaled dragon.

"With all respect Mistress Cynder, I only want what's best for my counterpart here and I thought that that would be the best position for him!" complained the yellow dragon, who gave his companion a death stare.

"That simply will not work!"

"Yes it will!"

"No it will not!"

"ENOUGH!" bellowed Cynder, silencing the bickering dragons in front of them. "Look I've had a pretty shit day already and I really don't need stupid arguments like this on my rounds today, okay? Now, what are your names?"

"Marcel," said the yellow scaled dragon.

"Simon," the other stated.

"Well… Marcel, Simon, here is what I suggest. You both own a stall together and put it in front of the cutlery store, that way you'll both be happy."

Both dragons turned to each other and began to talk about Cynder's idea. Within a few seconds, they turned back and bowed in respect yet again.

"That is a very good idea and we shall follow your orders," said Simon with respect.

"I hardly gave you an order," chuckled Cynder. "And enough of this Mistress and Queen-like treatment. I'm just a normal dragoness doing her job. I'm no more important than either of you."

Marcel and Simon smiled at Cynder and thanked her once again for her help before they made their way to a small stall outside the cutlery store and began to set up their station. Cynder smiled to herself before continuing her rounds. She could tell this was going to be a long day without Spyro and it was already proving difficult.

"Wish you were with me Spyro," she mumbled. "I hope you're doing okay."

Cynder wandered on with her head low and sighing as she went. Looking at the stalls however was the familiar figure of Saiph, peering at the items on display in each stall. Her gaze soon wandered over to the wallowing Cynder who was walking rather slowly and seeming to have tears in her eyes. Saiph left the stalls and wandered over to Cynder who smiled slightly at the thought of company.

"Hey Cynder," Saiph said with a smile. "You okay? You seem a bit down."

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine Saiph," sniffed Cynder.

"Where's Spyro? Aren't you two supposed to be doing your rounds today?" asked Saiph, tilting her head in curiosity.

"That's the problem," she choked, trying to hold back her tears. "He's sick."

"Really?!" she gasped. "What happened?"

"I don't really want to talk about it," she mumbled, trying to get her face out of Saiph's line of sight.

"Hey, it's okay. You can tell me."

"I said I'm FINE!" snapped Cynder, causing Saiph to step back slightly in alarm.

Cynder faltered as Saiph recoiled and a slight wave of shame overtook her. She turned her face away yet again and cursed herself for snapping. She knew that Saiph was only trying to help; she didn't deserve to be shouted at.

"H-Hey Saiph? I'm sorry…" Cynder apologised.

"It's alright, I shouldn't have pressured you," Saiph said with a smile.

"No I shouldn't have snapped it's just… Spyro's sick and I'm not doing too good about it."

"What's wrong with him?" Saiph questioned again, before adding, "W-w-well, if you _want_ to tell me, of course."

Cynder swallowed before taking a deep, shaky breath, and then began to explain their situation.

"When we were flying back from the swamp, Spyro… had a… seizure in mid-air and… and…"

Cynder couldn't bring herself to finish. The thought of what she had seen was too horrible to bear… too fresh of a wound for her… before she knew it she was crying, tears slowly dripping down her face. Saiph stepped forward and embraced Cynder, stroking the back of her head to calm her down.

"It's okay, just talk slowly," Saiph whispered as she comforted her friend.

Cynder took a deep breath and tried to compose herself.

"He began retching and coughing and then his body started to convulse and wriggle everywhere."

"That's horrible! Is he okay now?"

"Yeah, thanks to Volteer and Sapphire."

"At least he's alright."

Cynder wiped her eyes carefully with her tailblade and tried to calm herself down. Saiph hated seeing people upset, almost the same as Spyro with Cynder. She knew that Cynder couldn't do her rounds on her own, she needed help.

"Hey, why don't I help you out with the rounds today?" Saiph offered.

"Thanks Saiph but… you don't have to if you don't want to," Cynder replied quietly.

"No offense Cynder but you look like crap, and honestly you could use the company."

Cynder smiled greatly and agreed to Saiph's words. The rest of the rounds went smoothly, a few disputes and problems here and there, but nothing that went contrasted with a normal day. Spyro however never left Cynder's mind. She worried about him for the entirety of the day, looking over her shoulder at the infirmary at some points. Although Saiph was with her, Cynder still couldn't help but think that something was missing and that Spyro was okay.

* * *

Back in the infirmary with light blazing through the windows and onto the polished pearl floor, Spyro laid on one of the cloth beds clicking his claws on the metal frame. The same smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils and the light from the late afternoon sun blared into his eyes, blinding him slightly. The room he was in was empty, spacious and wide. Only himself, the beds and equipment occupied the room making it mind numbingly boring for the purple dragon. He tried to make himself more comfortable, tossing and turning every now and then. What made it worse was that the sheet that was over him had been scratching on his scales, making him constantly itch.

Spyro sighed, pouting. He'd spent countless hours in his room, alone. Sapphire had come to check on him on the occasion, but he'd always said he was fine and she left and did her job working on other patients that came into the infirmary. Thoughts of his friends plagued his mind. Thoughts of Cynder. He'd never been this alone before. Even before he met Cynder, or any other dragon for that matter, he'd always had Sparx by his side.

How he missed company.

"Spyro…"

The purple dragon's eyes widened as he looked around him, searching for the source of the voice that called his name. No one was there. He suddenly felt a bit fearful. Now he was hearing voices? Was his unwanted solitude causing him to go insane? He sat up straight, eyes darting and scanning.

"Spyro…" the voice beckoned again.

Spyro's breathing increased dramatically and a shiver snaked its way up his spine. Was he going mad? Spyro slowly made his way off of the bed and looked around in more detail. Nothing. Not even a sign of movement. He sighed in annoyance and turned back towards his bed, only moving a few steps before stopping. The purple dragon heard a distinct swirling and whispering behind him. Spyro turned and saw a shadowy figure cloaked in darkness.

"Who's there? Who are you?" he questioned the apparition, his heart in his mouth.

"_You… failed… me…" _it answered.

"What…? Who the hell are you?! Answer me!" he demanded.

"_You're a failure to everyone!" _it hissed, making Spyro go stiff with fear.

The apparition stepped forward, it's figure becoming known as the shadow began to clear. What emerged shocked and horrified the purple dragon. It was Ignitus, but mangled and shredded. His wings were scorched and completely burned off, only the membranes remaining. A horrible burn streaked down the side of his face, flesh dropping from it and his eyeball hanging out of its socket. Most of his scales were singed, and one of his paws were missing. Spyro took a step backwards, a putrid smell of burning flesh filling his nostrils.

"I-Ignitus?" he gasped in horror, tears beginning to fill his eyes.

"_You failed me, you're the reason why I burn in hell! Made to be this sickening carcass," _Ignitus whispered as he got ever closer to Spyro.

"No! I tried to save you! I tried to stop you!" he insisted.

"_You think you're a hero! You disgrace the meaning of being a purple dragon! You think your friends trust you? They concur behind your back, saying that you're the servant of Malefor in a dormant state. You're no hero, you're nothing."_

"No, that's not true! My friends trust me and I trust them!" he argued with Ignitus, his sickening laugh filling his ears.

"_Hahaha, you think they trust you? They think you're a conniving bastard, not to mention Cynder," _Ignitus said, making Spyro boil with anger.

"You leave her out of this!" he thundered as he quivered with fury, baring his teeth.

"_You think she loves you? Cares for you? She thinks nothing of you, she's doomed if she trusts you. You think you can save her? You will fail her! The same as you failed me!"_

"STOP IT!" he screamed, surging forward with his teeth bared and claws at the ready.

Ignitus waved his paw and Spyro lifted off the ground, sending him flying into a wall. Spyro groaned and tried to move, soon realising that his arms were stuck to the wall along with the rest of his body. Shadowy shackles curled their way around his neck and arms, keeping him still and cutting through his scales like a knife through butter. Spyro turned to face Ignitus, realising that he was within touching distance. The spirit reached out a mangled paw and wrapped it around Spyro's neck, making him choke and gasp for air.

The paw felt terrible against his own flesh; it was crusty and rotted, but more importantly it was hot, as if the flesh were still burning in that forsaken Belt of Fire. Ignitus' face contorted into a disgusting scowl, the sound of crusted, scorched flesh stretching reaching his ears. The sound alone was enough to make him gag, but on top of that was the dragon's putrid breath and the finer details of his face as he shoved it into his own. He reeked of fire and death, his eyes were red and slightly melted out of shape, staring into his very soul, and his mouth was sickening to look at. Ignitus let out a growl, baring his teeth which were hanging slightly out of his gums, before he spoke again in a low, hateful whisper.

"_You cannot save them, you can't save anyone! You left me to die! You're the darkness in this world and you don't deserve… TO LIVE!"_

The ghost of Ignitus raised his tailblade high above his head, ready to strike the choking Spyro who was desperately trying to wriggle his way out of the chains that bound him. Spyro shut his eyes and yelled in anticipation as he awaited the feeling of death to finally greet him. Suddenly, however, he found himself standing upright in the middle of the hospital and sweating wildly. Blinking rapidly and touching his forehead lightly, Spyro turned his attention towards the door and saw Cynder standing in the doorway with a horrified expression on her face.

"S-Spyro?" she stammered, a hint of fear lacing her quiet, quivering voice.

"You okay Cynder? You look like you've seen a ghost," chuckled Spyro, his mind still racing.

"Spyro, your eyes were glowing," she whispered to him.

"What do you mean?" he questioned her.

"When I walked in, you were mumbling something in a different language and your… your eyes were glowing the same way as they glowed after Ignitus died," Cynder explained.

"Don't say his name!" he snapped angrily, fearfully, before recoiling as he realised what he had done. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's happening to me."

Cynder blinked, recovering from her initial shock at Spyro yelling at her, before she managed to put the moment in the back of her mind, focussing on the task at hand. A soft smile pulled at her lips, and the glow in Spyro's eyes began to fade.

"Sapphire says you can come home, so I'll take care of you there," Cynder said, placing her head on his shoulder, before gasping as she felt his scales flush with heat under her touch. "Spyro, you're burning up!"

"I'm fine," Spyro reassured her.

"No, come on. I'm taking you home, mister."

Spyro smiled at Cynder's protective side and how much she cared for him, but he couldn't help but think about what he just experienced. He couldn't bear it if Cynder was hurt or killed because of his own actions. But the spirit's voice still rang through his ears, and his head was pounding. He couldn't get it out of his head that she was doomed for trusting him… and that he was destined to fail her. He didn't want to believe it, but in the back of his mind a nagging voice said that it might be true, even if the chance was one in a million. He would do anything to make it not be.

Cynder led him out of the infirmary, through the market and past the temple towards their house. Spyro had missed the sight of home and the warm aura it gave off. But what excited him the most was good food and lots of snuggling with Cynder. She led him upstairs and made sure he was comfortable in bed. Although he didn't show it, Spyro was exhausted. That little episode in the infirmary drained every last bit of his strength and his will.

"Now you stay here and try and get some rest," Cynder said sternly. "I'll make you something to eat."

"Okay," Spyro said with a smile, before faltering as the vision and words of the spirit assaulted his conscious once more. "Hey Cynder?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, you know that right?" he asked her with sorrow ridden eyes.

"Of course I do, silly," she replied with a chuckle. "Where'd this come from?"

"Oh erm… nowhere, just checking," Spyro lied with a goofy grin.

"Spyro, you're a terrible liar," Cynder reminded him. "I don't know why you don't just tell me the truth."

"Because I can't."

"And why not?" Cynder replied, a frown pulling at the edges of her lips.

"I just… I…"

"You... what? I know you, Spyro, and you like to tell the truth. You like to do everything right by everyone. Lying isn't like you Spyro, and I don't even know why you're trying, let alone _now_ of all times. Just tell me the truth, Spyro."

"I can't, Cynder."

"That's not an answer, Spyro," Cynder growled, starting to get frustrated. "We're mates and I deserve to know what's going on with you. You vowed when we first became mates that you wouldn't hide anything from me, and me with you. I know you, and you hold true to your word, which is something you're not doing right now. Just tell me what you're trying to hide and this will all be over."

"I'm not hiding anything!" Spyro exclaimed desperately.

"Then tell me the truth!" Cynder replied angrily, raising her voice slightly as she flared her wings out threateningly. "I haven't had a good day at all today so it would help if you would just cooperate and tell me what the hell is wrong!"

"I can't!"

Cynder bit her tongue to stop the curse flowing from her lips. She just let out an angry, wordless growl and narrowed her eyes at Spyro. Once she was sure the welling curse was gone, she released her hold on her tongue and allowed herself to speak once more.

"Again with the 'I can't' excuse! If that's all you're going to say then can you at least tell me _why_ you can't tell me the truth?!" Cynder snarled.

"I… I uh…" Spyro stammered, feeling terrible for what he was about to say. "I can't tell you that either, I'm sorry."

"Why are you being so secretive?!" Cynder shouted, beginning to raise her voice even more.

"I'm not trying to be, Cynder!"

"How can you 'not try' to be secretive when all you say is 'I can't tell you' and other riddled phrases and expect me to _figure_ out what you're hiding from me?! What you're _lying_ to me about?!"

"Cynder, you don't understand!"

"Damn you Spyro, I don't think _you're_ the one that understands! You are _lying_ to me! To your _mate_! I don't know what you're hiding and it terrifies me! You asked me if I know you still loved me, and you won't tell me why! Now that seems a little sketchy, don't you think Spyro?"

"It's not like that at all Cynder, I swear!"

"Then what?! WHAT IS IT?!" Cynder screamed, spittle flying from her lips as she relayed her anger onto Spyro.

"I AM TERRIFIED, CYNDER OKAY?!" Spyro roared in reply, and Cynder just stood there, unflinching, staring angrily at Spyro.

She refrained herself from shouting, allowing Spyro time and room to talk.

"I had an ancestor-damned seizure yesterday and I'm still recovering from it! I've never had one before and it scares me, scares me to the bone. Not only that, I've just been told that i might never see my parents again, the people that raised me! And I'm scared that I will lose _you_, Cynder! All this… this… _shit_ going on… about me having a threatening seizure and my parents possibly dying in the near future makes me fear of _your_ wellbeing, and not only that I had a nightmare where you… where you… This morning when I had a nightmare I dreamt of… of… of your death! I'm terrified that I will mess up and fail you!"

Cynder just blinked at him, a look of rage still painted over her features. Spyro shuffled nervously and his heart lurched, hoping that she wouldn't raise her voice to him again. Cynder knew that Spyro still had more to say, but Spyro was adamant that he would not tell Cynder that _he_ killed her in the nightmare that still plagued him, not to mention the whole event with Ignitus' spirit. Cynder's thoughts were still plagued by those glowing, soulless eyes. What bothered her the most though was that he didn't have an answer for them which she desperately wanted. Spyro kept the vivid flashes of his nightmare locked in his mind as Cynder continued to stare at him with eyes that burned with a small flame of anger. He wasn't ready to share his nightmare to Cynder. He didn't want to worry her… scare her even. It was enough having to fret about it himself but if she were to have that on her conscious, that her own mate could kill her… Spyro didn't want to even comprehend what that could do to her.

"Well _why_ didn't you tell me about that _sooner_?!" Cynder exclaimed.

"Because…" Spyro started, but gave up as he growled angrily and stood from the bed.

He'd had enough of being yelled at by Cynder and called names. Without another word he stormed past Cynder and thundered down the stairs. He could hear Cynder mumbling heatedly to herself, cursing and grumbling at both her own and Spyro's actions. It did nothing to calm Spyro's rage, and he continued to walk away. Cynder knew what it was like to deal with inner demons and had held her own in for so long without telling anyone. Why should he be any different? A voice in his head told him that maybe talking about it would help make the burden easier, and then he realised they were his own words.

Spyro's heart suddenly dropped. Cynder had been freed from Malefor's grasp when he had said those words to her. He soon realised that he was under the influence of his own darkness, especially if his glowing eyes were anything to go by. Spyro stopped by the door and cursed himself for doubting the dragoness he loved. He needed time away from her, time away from company. He needed time alone to ponder and straighten his thoughts.

He left the house and walked down the empty street. It was night and there was very little activity going on outside. Zella was the queen of the sky, Adrano being absent. The green moon sent its ghoulish light down upon the world, giving everything a slight green tinge to it. It didn't help Spyro's conscious and sanity however, it only worsened it. Dark thoughts entered his head and he couldn't get them out. He felt paranoid, looking behind him at every turn, expecting to see Ignitus' gory, maimed and burned carcass behind him. Looking at him with those flame ridden eyes burning with disdain.

Feeling unsafe in the streets of Warfang, with massive buildings on every side of him that loomed over his head ominously, Spyro spread out his wings and took to the sky. He flew for a short while, mumbling to himself as he went before landing next to a lake that shimmered peacefully and was deprived of any inhabitants. He sighed with a sombre feeling, thirst overtaking him. His throat burned and throbbed from yelling at Cynder and yelling at Ignitus. He needed to soothe it with some water.

He walked towards the lake and bent down and took a few sips of water. He raised himself back up and swallowed, feeling the cooling sensation of the water on his throat. The purple dragon leaned back down to take another sip, but he halted as a pair of ominous white eyes opened inside the lake, staring back at him. He stood there, head suspended over the surface of the lake and lips almost touching the liquid, staring into the glowing eyes. He couldn't move, and he felt fear overcome him. Spyro found himself stiff, not being able to look away from the figure that was tormenting him. The gaze of the white eyes were compelling, hypnotising, almost addictive. His gaze remained fixed on the eyes, no matter how afraid of them he was.

A silhouette formed around the eyes, and before long, Spyro realised he was looking at a near-replica of himself, only with black scales and dark, rusty bronze features replacing his gold ones. The white, pupiless eyes remained the same. They were soulless, looking into his own with lust, ready to take it, ripe for the picking. Spyro's breathing increased rapidly as it mimicked his facial expressions and every movement. He waved his paw and the silhouette followed. Spyro couldn't take anymore of this. If this was the spirit that was haunting him, he needed to know.

"Who are you?! Why are you tormenting me?!" he screamed at the reflection, the scale of his scream reflecting on the water.

The figure said nothing and just stared blankly, it's soulless eyes burning through his soul.

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Spyro raised his paw and slapped the surface of the water in an attempt to remove those eyes that were tormenting him. As soon as he touched the water, he was sent tumbling to the floor, his cheek burning with pain. Spyro raced to the lake again and saw nothing but himself, this time with a deep scratch on his cheek. The purple dragon sat on his haunches and stared at his paw that was stained with his own blood. He trembled with dread and fear, knowing that his sanity was faltering. Something was controlling him and was able to hurt him. Spyro looked up at the sky and stared at the stars.

"Ancestors… what's happening to me?"

* * *

**There you go people! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I might go out on a whim here by saying that I think this is the best chapter that we've written yet but I'm gonna let you guys be the judge of that. Let me know with a review which chapter you think is the best so far just so I can see how much you're enjoying it. I'm loving every single moment of writing this book and I cannot wait to get to writing the next chapter.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… signing off _**


	9. CH7: Spyro's Hamartia

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. The support for this story has shot up since the last chapter and I am so excited to get this chapter written so we can get it uploaded. I am eternally grateful to everyone who has reviewed and even remotely clicked onto the story. It's a great feeling to see all of you enjoying yourselves while reading. As always, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- TARDIS  
\- DonnyFire  
\- Jos Vitor  
\- Dragon of Mystery**

**\- Shredder08**

**Thank you to all of you who have reviewed and are reading this book. I hope you enjoy this next chapter… because if you enjoyed the tension in the last one, you're gonna love it in this one.**

**Without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Spyro's Hamartia**

Cynder groaned as she felt a warm ray of light spraying over her eyelid, waking her from her peaceful slumber. She opened her eyes slightly, squinting them as the sun blazed through the window. She realised that she had fallen asleep on the sofa in the lounge, waiting up for Spyro to get home and make her apology. Cynder picked herself up and stretched out, waking up the rest of her body. She blinked a few times to clear her vision, rubbing one eye with her paw as she made her way upstairs. After the events of last night, she wanted to know if Spyro had made it home safely and was asleep on their bed. As she peered into the room, Cynder realised that the bed had been completely untouched, not a single crease on the mattress. Her eyes widened slowly, concern and panic lacing her heart and face.

"Spyro?!" she called out, hoping for a reply.

Cynder checked every inch of the house. The lounge, kitchen, bathroom and even the attic, but there was still no sign of Spyro. Cynder began to become stricken with worry. Where could he be?

"Okay, okay, okay, think Cynder think!" she said to herself. "Where would he be? The tavern? No, he doesn't drink. The temple? No, he's still sick. Oh this is hopeless!"

Cynder thought long and hard, returning back to their room. She grabbed his diary and scanned through it, looking for any indication to where he might be. She turned each page rapidly, testing each seam of paper before swiping it with force. Cynder suddenly stopped, peering at a page that she read a few days ago. An idea suddenly came into her head.

"Our first kiss!"

Cynder closed the book and slammed it back onto the table, before turning and racing out of the door. It was early morning, and everyone was only just opening their eyes. Warfang was silent for once, peaceful and calm. The sunrise barely peeked over the tops of the buildings, painting the sky a bright red. Cynder raced through the streets and flung herself into the air, rocketing towards the lake where she and Spyro shared their first kiss.

Spyro had brought her there after their first date, telling her that this was his favourite place to go when he wanted to think and get away from all of the fame and glory. Cynder remembered how Spyro dove head first into the lake and then pulled her in afterwards, earning a small slap. She remembered how cold the water was before Spyro heated it, and how calm she felt when she was resting against his chest. Nothing however, could take away the feeling of the first kiss she shared with him. It was soft and gentle, small droplets of water running down their faces as they locked lips for the first time.

Cynder landed softly on the ground and began to search for Spyro, the grass licking at her paws. Her eyes moved frantically to every feature of the scenery that was in front of her, looking to see any differentiation or disturbance that Spyro could have made.

"Spyro?" she called, turning her head sharply to catch sight of her surroundings in every angle around her. "Spyro?!"

Nothing but silence rattled her surroundings. Her heavy breathing was the only thing she heard, deep and quick. She turned and ran forward, crying out Spyro's name once more but again nothing but silence replied. She slowed herself to a standstill after a while, Spyro's name leaving her mouth again in a small whisper, realising that her attempt to come here was for nought.

Until a weak, whimpering sob caught her ears.

She turned towards the sound and saw, concealed by heavy foliage cover, the form of a purple dragon hunched over and curled in a ball. Spyro heaved violently as choking sobs overtook him, and high pitched whimpers were the only thing that his voice box produced.

"Spyro?" Cynder called again, this time to attract Spyro's attention.

Cynder tried to get his attention again, but only shivers and a drawn, whimpering sob reached Cynder's ears, her heart breaking with each painful sound. She looked upon him with eyes glazed with pity. He sat alone in a ditch, covered in dirt and shivering from the cold as he lay unprotected from the harsh, bitter temperatures of the night and early morning.

She raised a paw, placing it comfortingly on Spyro's shoulder as she spoke his name once more. As she did this however, he burst into action, letting out a shrill scream of pure terror. He rolled over, yelling and screaming at a high and terrified pitch as he scrambled backwards, clawing savagely at the dirt and sending flecks of soil flying onto Cynder's face. Fear contorted his tear-stricken expression, his bottom lip quivering as he tried to hold in his emotions. Cynder jumped and let out a yelp at Spyro's sudden reaction, but the cry that burst from her jaws only caused another scream to tear itself loose from Spyro's lungs.

Cynder quickly composed herself, shushing Spyro gently. He calmed down, taking deep heavy breaths as shock and regret washed over him for reacting to Cynder's presence in such a way. For a few seconds they just stared at each other, not a word being spoken between the two, both breathing heavily as they recovered from their shock. Spyro's chest heaved with sobs that still tried to make their way free, and Cynder's heart fell even more. Something was wrong with him. Something was _really_ wrong with him, and she needed to know what. She thought of asking him, but she noticed his shivering once more. Her first task was to take him home where it was warm.

She approached Spyro cautiously, giving him a look of reassurance and warmth. Spyro's body ached, every muscle in his body screaming and preventing him from moving. A broken, pleading look was all that remained on his face, begging for mercy. He tried to move his face further away, moving it only a few centimetres up from its original place. She carefully worked his body onto her back before she flew back home, making sure that Spyro didn't fall off.

Throughout the journey back, Spyro wriggled and shivered wildly, making Cynder worry more and more with each movement.

They soon arrived home, and Cynder quickly ran Spyro a hot bath, helping him into the tub when it had been run. He reacted with sharp grunts of pain as the heat hit his frozen body, but adjusted quickly and let out a content sigh as his body temperature rose to a safe one. She sat there watching him as he sank into the water, loosening his stiff, frozen muscles, closing his eyes which had finally ceased leaking salty tears.

Concern clouded her face, and she decided she needed to get to the bottom of what was wrong with Spyro. Keeping things from her was the first step, but finding him alone in the forest, weeping, freezing and covered in dirt, was the final straw. It scared her that something might be happening to her Spyro.

"Are you alright, Spyro?" she asked sternly.

Spyro opened his eyes and turned to look at her, steam piling up from the tub and engulfing the bathroom. He faltered at the look of concern on her face and sighed sadly, knowing he couldn't get away with lying this time.

"No," he murmured, averting his gaze from her, much like a child would from a mother ready to punish them.

"Spyro, I've learned my lesson and I won't shout at you anymore. Something's up and I'm scared for you. You've not been honest with me, you've… had a seizure and you spent all night in a freezing ditch. It's scaring me baby, I just want to know what's going on with you!"

"I… I…" Spyro stammered, not knowing where to start, before he broke down in another fit of tears.

Cynder tried her best to keep her own emotions in check as she ushered him close to her, bringing him to her chest in an attempt to slow his tears. Spyro was not much of a crier; seeing him cry like this really worried her, and it hurt her deep down to know that whatever hurt and torment Spyro must be going through was _very_ bad if it was forcing this much emotion and breakdown to come flying out of him. Cynder released her embrace on him and ushered him to begin.

In a mumbled mess of stammering, slurred words and choking sobs, Spyro began to open up to her.

"I… I-I-I don't know what's g-g-going on with m-m-me, Cynder. I h-haven't been f-f-feeling… myself… as of r-r-recently. I f-f-feel tormented… angry… a-a-and I can't control it. I-I've been a-a-abused… th-th-that seizure… It was not natural a-a-and I heard v-v-voices the whole time. Tormenting me… calling me a f-f-failure. I-I-I've been hallucinating… s-s-seeing things. I… I… I-I-I saw…" Spyro stammered forlornly, before his sobs began to get heavier and Cynder had to strain to make out his words as his sobs choked the breath out of him. "I saw Ignitus, Cyn! I-I-I saw him and he was all misshapen and burnt and mangled, and… and… a-a-and he _also_ called me a failure! He blamed me for his death and he said that I c-c-couldn't be trusted… He called me a bastard… He… he said I failed him, failed you, failed everyone! He told me that I am the darkness in this world!"

Spyro couldn't bring himself to continue. His weeping became so strong it caused him to crumple up into a ball as he slid down into the bathtub. Cynder rushed to his side, pulling him up so he wouldn't submerge his head into the water. She held him tightly and brought him close to her chest yet again, feeling his sorrow and fear. His shaking was violent, but it was not from a seizure or the cold. It was from the severity of his crying. His face was savagely contorted with fear and sadness, lips pulled back to bare his teeth, saliva dripping down his lips as he continued to whimper.

Cynder had never known Spyro so scared. During the struggle against Malefor, Spyro showed very little signs of fear, even during the final battle and their moments inside of the core. Now however, Spyro was reduced to a whimpering mess, afraid of himself and his own consciousness.

Cynder shushed him gently, stroking his cheek with a soft, calming paw. He took his time to calm down, taking deep, shuddering breaths as he focused on the rhythmic stroking of the paw that was gently caressing the side of his cheek. His sobs died down, reduced to hitched breaths and heavy sniffling as his nose had gotten blocked from his emotional breakdown. Spyro sat himself up, regaining control over his body as he wiped his eyes with shaking paws. He turned and gazed into Cynder's eyes which were laced with concern and a sense of pity. He could see the love in them. It was undying, unrelenting. He knew she would love him no matter what, and it put a bit of courage into Spyro's heart.

Doubt consumed his mind however, a voice inside him screaming that she couldn't trust him. He couldn't get the words that Ignitus said to him yesterday out of his head. Spyro knew that if Cynder was around him, he couldn't trust himself to keep her safe. Shaking his head slightly and making himself more comfortable in the bath, Spyro pushed the thought to the back of his head. He wanted to relish the moment they had. He didn't want to ruin the feeling of love and comfort they were sharing by relishing on past events that were connected to an illusion.

"Ancestors Spyro, you're covered in dirt," Cynder said, as if realising the exterior problem for the first time.

"I was in a dirty ditch all night, what do you expect?" Spyro retorted.

Cynder rolled her eyes at his remark and picked up a bottle of soap before putting some on her paws and rubbing it firmly on Spyro's chest. Spyro's tense muscles slowly relaxed at the soft embrace of the soap on his scales, soon calming him completely as he melted into the soothing feeling of the delicate solution dribbling down his scales. Spyro didn't want Cynder to clean him like he was a baby, but he really didn't feel like doing it himself after the night he had. Staying awake for most of it and trying to fight off the voices and hallucinations had already sealed that fact. Plus, he liked the feeling of Cynder stroking him, even if her paws were covered in soap. He fell in love with her yet again as she focused on her task, his heart beating faster with every soft movement of her paw. Spyro closed his eyes to the soothing sensation of the soap and Cynder's paws roaming around his chest. They were soft and gentle, almost motherly in a way. She began by cleaning Spyro's chest, shoulders, back and wings with care, all of which had all been smothered with dirt.

After a few minutes, Cynder rinsed her paws in the tub and sat on her haunches, looking over a clean and rather relaxed Spyro. The purple dragon opened his eyes and gave Cynder a thankful smile, gazing into her emerald eyes that shimmered with love. She returned the smile and leaned forward, pressing her lips against his own. Spyro didn't know why, but he was caught off guard by the kiss. He melted into it nonetheless and returned it, closing his eyes and focusing only on the touch of her lips. Bliss overtook him, and he felt his heart began to speed up. Nothing else mattered at that moment in time. Not his fears, not his torment, but the kiss he was sharing with Cynder.

Much to Spyro's disappointment, Cynder pulled away, his eyes remaining closed and his heart pounding against his scales. He slowly opened his eyes and sighed, giving Cynder a satisfied smile. Cynder just laughed at him. It was good to see that he had recovered just a tiny bit. Even after twenty years, he still reacted the same way almost every time she kissed him. Shock, followed by love and passion. He was so pure and innocent, and she loved him for it.

"Alright, I'm gonna go grab a towel, Spyro. I'll be right back," she said, before walking out of the room and down the hall.

She made it to a cupboard and opened it, searching for Spyro's preferred towel. She picked it up and placed it on her wing before making her way back to the bathroom. Just before she reached the door, Cynder heard a large amount of splashing and gurgling as she stepped ever closer. Cynder rushed back into the bathroom to find water sprayed all over the walls. She gazed over towards the tub to find that Spyro's mood had shifted yet again. Fear edged his face once more as he clutched his throat and gasped for air. Water dripped down his face and down his body as a look of pure terror corrupted his expression.

"Spyro, what happened?!" Cynder exclaimed, dropping the towel and running towards him to make sure he was alright.

"I-I-I don't know… I… I…" Spyro stammered, his eyes darting from side to side as he tried to process what had just happened. "My head just... shot underwater. It stayed in there... the whole time you were out. It was like... someone else was... in control of my body. They tried to drown me. I was in there for thirty seconds… I couldn't… I couldn't breathe. I finally got control of my body again, but… but that was just as you walked in. That was when I pulled my head out."

Cynder just blinked, a sense of dread slithering up her spine. Spyro seemed so happy when she left him. He was safe, clean and more than content with his company. She looked over him with pity and scanned his expression. His eyes were wide and his muscles tensed. She knew that he was terrified beyond belief. Cynder opened her mouth to speak, but was soon interrupted as Spyro brought her into a forceful hug, getting her wet in the process and sending water flying onto the bathroom floor. Cynder held him tightly, droplets of water dribbling down her back as Spyro clung onto her with shaking paws.

She slowly lifted Spyro out of the bathtub before handing him the towel. With some support from Cynder, the purple dragon dried himself off and stared into space as Cynder pulled the plug and drained the bathwater from the tub.

"I'm scared, Cynder," he murmured. "I'm so scared."

Cynder walked back over to him and smothered him with as much love and care as she could, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"You don't have to be, Spyro. I'm with you. Always. You have nothing to fear," Cynder replied soothingly.

"You don't get it, Cynder!" Spyro growled, working his way out of Cynder's hold. "I've been abused, hurt and tormented for the past two days, and I don't know what's doing it! Even _more_ terrifying than that is that we're meant to be living in a time of peace! _Peace_, Cynder! There should be no more fear, no more darkness! Yet this… _thing_… keeps tormenting me, and it makes me worried that something's coming, and I don't know what! I just want it to go away!"

"So do I Spyro, but…"

"Why can't it just leave the world in peace?! Why can't it just leave _us_ in peace?! Why can't we just enjoy the peace we fought so _hard_ for to get?! We almost gave our _lives_ to get this peace! SO WHY CAN'T WE DAMN WELL _HAVE_ IT?!"

Spyro let out an angry howl as he turned and punched the wall he was standing next to, leaving a significant crack in the sandstone. His scales flickered black for a split second, before sadness and fear overtook the rage on his face. He looked at the paw he had used to punch the wall beside him, which quivered with pain. His eyes however remained glowing.

"What am I?" Spyro whispered. "What am I, Cynder?"

He suddenly collapsed to the ground, and Cynder rushed to catch him so he wouldn't fall so hard. This time the tears made their way back to Spyro's eyes as he mumbled incoherently, shaking his head. He curled up yet again inside of Cynder's hold, her heart breaking all over again as she felt him quiver. He deserved to be happy, deserved to have the peace that he longer for. His voice was hoarse from the yelling and crying he'd done earlier, resulting in his sobs being interrupted by heavy fits of coughing and croaky moans of anguish.

"Spyro. Spyro, you're fine. Look at me. Spyro," Cynder said, but he didn't even acknowledge her voice. "Spyro, listen to me! Spyro!"

Spyro only replied with a slurred moan before violent, croaky coughs wracked his body. He paused afterwards for a bit to recover, before his sobs and whimpering moans of despair continued. His wet eyes gleamed with the white glow that still persisted inside them, making Cynder fear even more for his safety. She continued to try and get his attention but without success; he was too scared to even acknowledge her.

Cynder groaned, cursing as she had no idea what to do. She needed the guardians' help, but she couldn't leave Spyro in the bathroom. She knew that she had to get him somewhere comfortable and where he could get some decent sleep. Cynder took one more glance at Spyro who was still curled up and sobbing quietly as tears rolled gently down his cheeks. With an idea fresh in her mind, she worked him onto her back once more and took him to their bedroom, laying him down in their bed when she entered. The glow had dissipated from his forlorn, bloodshot eyes, but his crying remained as strong as ever.

"Shh, rest now," she said soothingly, before walking over to her bedside table. "I've got something that'll help you sleep."

Cynder opened one of her side drawers and looked at the vials that were laid out neatly in a row. She scanned over the labels before finding one that was labelled 'Dragonroot'. After being saved by Spyro, Cynder was exposed to a multitude of horrible nightmares, sometimes waking up screaming and falling into the caring arms of her mate. Thanks to Volteer and Sapphire, Cynder was given Dragonroot to help her sleep. Her nightmares were less frequent now that Spyro was with her. Nowadays she had dumb ones that many other people had, but she'd always tried to connect it to her time under Malefor's control. Since she didn't use them as much anymore, Cynder had plenty to spare.

She picked one up and made her way back to Spyro, who was still sobbing heavily and wailing with fear. There was no gentle way to have Spyro drink the remedy when he was crying this hard and wouldn't even respond to her voice. Waiting for the right moment, Cynder pulled the cork out from the top of the vial and hastily dumped the vial down his red throat, sore from screaming, wailing and coughing. He gagged a little before swallowing the remedy, already his wailing ceasing to a more quiet moan.

Cynder stroked his head softly, shushing him gently as his eyes began to roll back and close. Spyro ceased his crying and suffering as he fell into a peaceful sleep, making Cynder breathe a small sigh of relief.

"Sleep well, Spyro," she said, before kissing him on the forehead.

She straightened herself, before lowering her head again, this time to kiss him on the lips, hoping to give him as much comfort in his sleep as she could. After that, she straightened once more, before turning around and walking out of their room. She made her way out of the house, breaking into a frantic sprint as she ran towards the Warfang Temple in desperate need of the guardians. It was already mid-afternoon and the streets were bustling with creatures who were flogging their wares and yelling at the top of their lungs. Cynder rocketed past them, her thoughts running rampant as she got ever closer to the temple.

As she reached the doors, Cynder caught her breath and made her way inside, closing them behind her with a slight creak. She made her way past the paintings, the training rooms and into a vast hallway which housed the guardian's chambers. She rushed to the door and knocked twice, longing for somebody to answer. To her relief, the familiar face of Volteer peered round the door, looking at her with wise and welcoming eyes.

"Ah, young Cynder," he said with a smile. "What brings you here?"

"It's urgent! I need to speak with the other guardians!" she gasped, attempting to push past him.

"Slow your harsh movements there, what compels you to communicate with us?" the electric guardian asked her with an eyebrow raised.

"IT'S SPYRO!" she screamed suddenly, making Volteer retract a little from surprise.

"Volteer! For ancestors sake, let her in!" a voice boomed inside of the room as Volteer's face dropped.

Volteer stepped aside and let Cynder walk inside, slightly surprised at Cynder's recent outburst. Cynder raced into the room and her eyes set on Terrador who was sitting at the end of the grand oak table. He was holding a quill in one paw, and a piece of parchment in the other. His rounded spectacles glinting as the sun met them.

"Ancestors on high Cynder, what is going on?" Terrador asked her, lowering his spectacles a little so they were sitting on the end of his snout.

"It's Spyro, Terrador! Something's happening to him!" Cynder exasperated as she tried to stop tears from appearing in her eyes.

"What's happening to him?"

"He's… he's…"

Cynder couldn't bring herself to talk. Everything that had happened was proving too much for her to put into words, running through her brain like a steam train. She lost all strength in her legs as they buckled beneath her, sending her wailing onto the floor. Tears streamed down her face and onto the cold floor beneath her, spilling all her emotion into in the teardrops that were collecting at her paws. Terrador placed his quill and parchment onto the table and withdrew his glasses from his eyes, making his way towards Cynder who was at the other end of the room. He lifted her chin with his paw, looking into her tear-stricken eyes with kindness and care.

"It's okay Cynder, just take a deep breath," Terrador said softly.

Cynder did what she was told and took in a sharp intake of shaky breath before steadying herself. She sat herself up straight and began to explain Spyro's recent torment. Cynder was sure to include every detail. Spyro's harsh temper, his seizure, his recent nightmares, the vision of Ignitus, him sleeping in a ditch for a whole night and him almost drowning in his own bathtub. When she had finished her explanation, Cynder imploded into another wave of tears, questioning why it had to be Spyro.

"This is most troubling indeed," Terrador stated, rubbing his chin. "Volteer, what do you make of this?"

"I am not sure Terrador," the electric guardian replied. "It is distressing to say the least, and with the visions and recent events that Cynder has explained, I think that we must keep a very close watch on Spyro. In the meantime, I shall conduct some research on this peculiar and perplexing series of events. There must be something in our vast multitude of books."

"Good idea, Volteer," nodded Terrador. "Cynder, while we confer on what to do with this issue, I strongly advise that you keep a watchful eye on Spyro. Keep him safe and in the house. Since the anniversary speech of when you and Spyro defeated Malefor is rapidly approaching, and due to the fact that the holidays are about to begin, we will take your classes until the end of today."

"Thank you Terrador," Cynder said with a smile. "I'll be sure to not let him out of my sight."

"Good."

Cynder bowed in respect to the guardians and left the room, leaving Volteer and Terrador alone to rethink about what Cynder had just explained.

"Is it Malefor?" Terrador asked Volteer who stared out of the window in thought, the sun blazing through it and onto his face.

"Most unlikely," Volteer said in a low and serious voice. "From what Spyro and Cynder told us when they returned, Malefor is imprisoned again, and will most likely never return. But this perplexes me to say the least. I shall conduct some research, good day Terrador."

"Good day, Volteer," the earth guardian called out to him as Volteer left the room and left Terrador to his own thoughts.

* * *

Cynder bashed the front door open and closed it behind her, sweating wildly and panting from her lack of oxygen. She hung her maw open, and breathed in the air her lungs forward. After catching her breath, she forced herself forward, knowing she couldn't waste any time getting back to Spyro's side. She walked up the stairs towards their room and opened the door with a slight creak.

The dragoness froze at the sight she saw. Spyro was awake, sitting up at his desk writing in his diary with a small blanket over his shoulders. She sat in the doorway and relished in the sight of him enjoying himself again. Every now and then, Spyro would stop writing and chew the end of his quill, thinking of the next line to write onto the page. Cynder smiled a little at the sight of him. At the sound of Cynder entering the room, Spyro slammed the diary shut, frantically trying to hide it in one of the draws. He still thought Cynder didn't know about it, and had there not been so much going on right now, Cynder would've laughed. That wasn't what Cynder was lingering on however. Spyro was awake. Dragonroot was a strong substance; he shouldn't be awake _already_.

She pushed the thought away when she saw the genuine smile on his face upon seeing her, realising that he was normal once again.

"Hey Cynder," he said. "Where'd you run off to?"

"I went to see the guardians," she said, blinking and trying her best to smile. "You know, to ask them about what's happening with you."

"Oh, that's great. It'll be good to hear what they have to say about it," Spyro smiled, sighing with relief.

"Yeah, I agree. Anyway, we'd better get ready."

"Ready? Ready for what?"

"The anniversary celebration? The anniversary of our freedom? Today's the day we beat Malefor twenty years ago."

"Oh!" Spyro exclaimed, eyes widening with realisation. "I completely forgot about that even though I'd been planning my speech for two months."

"Might want to focus on that instead of writing in that diary of yours," Cynder teased with a smirk.

Spyro blushed wildly and turned his face away in embarrassment.

"Yeah… probably," he mumbled, trying to hide his blush. "Which one did you read again?"

"The day you confessed to me. Remember that one?" Cynder asked him as she nuzzled his cheek.

"Great… yeah, I do."

"Hey, you're a beautiful writer honey. I don't know why you can't see it yourself."

"Well, I've never had anybody read any of my stuff before if I'm honest," Spyro said to her tentatively.

"One thing's for sure though, I can't wait to hear that speech of yours," Cynder smiled at him, embracing the purple dragon tightly.

Spyro stared out of the window lost in thought. If his torment truly had ended, he'd be perfectly fine to do it, but if there was even the slightest possibility that something was still wrong with him, he would prefer Cynder did it instead. Spyro didn't want to have an episode during the celebration, and _especially _not during the speech. But a part of him still wanted to do it, even for a short while. He did write it after all.

"Could… could you do some of it as well Cynder?" he asked her.

"Of course honey," Cynder said as she hugged him tighter. "But why?"

"Well, if this thing has gone, _truly _gone then I need to know for sure. But if it hasn't and something happens during the speech, it may… frighten people," Spyro murmured, casting his gaze down slightly. "I just really don't want something to happen. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I could really scare people, or even worse, hurt them."

Cynder just stared up at him and smiled, knowing that his selflessness and heroism was still intact.

"Well, one thing's for sure," Cynder said to him as he tilted his head in wonder. "You're still my selfless Spyro."

Spyro just chuckled sadly, averting his eyes to his paws beneath him.

"You saw how angry I was earlier today. What if the thing abusing me changes who I am? What if it changes my personality? I may not be so selfless for much longer. I could become angry... short fused... and I could become extremely selfish! I don't know what I'll become and I'm scared of it!" he ranted, causing Cynder to sigh sadly as he spoke so negatively about himself.

"The speech is just for tonight, Spyro," Cynder replied. "It's not that big of a deal if I do most of it but I would like you to say something. If you feel up to saying all of your speech that's fine too. But after tonight, you can step down while we figure out how to help you. I only want to make sure you're well and I want to see you recover from this."

"Thanks Cynder. I'll try my best to say as much as I can. I love you."

"I love you too, baby. Now we'd better get ready for the anniversary celebration, it starts pretty soon."

After a few minutes of cuddling and kissing, the dragon couple got to work on preparing themselves for the anniversary. Spyro set to work on perfecting his speech, making sure that everything was in order for when he delivered his part and marking out Cynder's with a clear inky line. Cynder however, was working on their ceremonial cloaks, mending any holes are stretches that were on them.

Spyro's was a clear blue, decorated with stars and made with the finest silk. The collar was made with pure gold, housing an amethyst gem that represented his importance and scale colour. She could never forget the first time that Spyro had worn his cloak. It was on the day they returned from the mountain, and the day she knew that Spyro had stolen her heart. Cynder's cloak however was as dark as night, decorated with silver swirls which contorted with the collar, housing an emerald. She always kept her cloak in pristine condition, making sure to clean and wash it every once in a while. Spyro however, always left his cloak in the wardrobe to collect dust and become worn. So she had to wash it herself, cursing Spyro lightheartedly for not taking responsibility to do it every once in a while like her.

But that was just Spyro, and she wouldn't have it any other way. All the more reason to get to the bottom of Spyro's problem once the celebration was finished.

She washed Spyro's cloak and gave it a very quick dry using her wind element, before returning back to Spyro, giving him the cloak and putting the collar around his neck. Cynder grabbed her own, asking Spyro to put it on for her, which he willingly obliged. Once she did that she also fitted her horns with glittering silver jewelry, sparkling as the low evening sun blared through the window and latched onto the encrusted jewels. Spyro couldn't believe his eyes. Cynder turned and saw Spyro, his maw hanging open in awe and surprise. Cynder chuckled at Spyro's reaction upon seeing her so beautifully dressed. She loved the way that he always used to get flustered and overwhelmed whenever he saw her like this; it was a good feeling for her, it was a good feeling to be loved.

"Well purple boy? Shall we get going?" Cynder asked teasingly, stroking Spyro's cheek with her tailblade slightly as she walked towards the door.

"Only if you're ready," Spyro smirked, kissing her neck as he wandered past, making her shudder in the process.

They left the comfort of home and walked out into Warfang, the sky painted a burning orange as the sunset washed the city in a bright fiery hue. As they turned a corner to enter the main street, the sight of the ceremony was an impressive one indeed. Dragons were dressed in cloaks, armour and other decor, all polished and shining like pearls. Moles all wore standard suits and dresses, and cheetahs wore thin, short-sleeved tunics with long regal robes, complete with jewelry on the neck and tail. To add to their sense of stature, their fur was professionally groomed. Several other creatures were seen, all wearing their own different types of formal dress ranging from a large array of colours and design. Although they weren't as common as dragons, moles and cheetahs, they all talked happily amongst each other, smiles flashing around the city.

Music could be heard in the distance as a small band consisting of predominantly moles played an upbeat tune, filling the city with joyous melody and harmonic tones. Mandolins and guitars played jaunty plucked and strummed melodies in tune with the drums and upright bass, sending soundwaves of perfect music streaming through every creature's ears. It was just one of many bands playing in Warfang, and several dragons, moles, cheetahs and the various other creatures that inhabited Warfang all danced along to the beat, cheering and laughing joyfully. Couples danced in unison, males clad in regal armour or cloaks, and the females in their own beautiful cloaks and silky dresses, jewelry adorning their horns, necks and wrists. The jaunty song ended and was awarded by applause, all the dancers that partook in the exercise taking deep heavy breaths as they tried to regain their breath ready for the next song. Some of the couples didn't even bother getting their breath back as they stole each other's in long, loving kisses. After about thirty seconds to calm down and catch their breaths, the drummer hit the sticks together in a compound duple rhythm, leading the band into an upbeat waltz, causing all the dancers to all back into more graceful dancing.

Spyro and Cynder stood, watching the dancing from a distance with wide beams on each of their faces. They were so happy for everyone who got to enjoy themselves on a daily basis, especially on celebratory events like this. Everyone who was present deserved to enjoy peace, enjoy the blissful sensation of a peaceful life. Not to spend it worrying about the destruction that drew near on them this day twenty years ago. Those twenty years had been long and the destruction of the world was but a distant memory. All creatures had lost all memories of the worry and pain they had felt and turned their attention to everyone celebrating as if their saving had just happened. Joy and happiness spread throughout Warfang, and it was the time of the year where the city mingled the most socially. So many great friends had been made among everyone over the past years; last year there had even been a proposal, which had been especially special for Spyro and Cynder to watch, knowing that young dragons had the chance to give their love to a special someone in their life just like they had.

The two dragons were brought out of their thoughts as dragons began to greet them with kind words, thanking them for saving the world and complimenting them on their look. It had been twenty years and people still thanked them. They'd always seen it as doing what was right, but people obviously saw it as so much more. It astounded Spyro and Cynder to know that they had done made this much of a difference on Warfang, not to mention the rest of the world.

Spyro and Cynder greeted the people back as they began to make their way to the main courtyard in Warfang where the announcement pedestals were, ready to meet the guardians there. As they walked, Cynder couldn't help but look back at Spyro who waved as a group of creatures shouted his name. He looked so regal and handsome as he walked, head held high and a wide smile on his face, the bright light of the sunset accenting the features that made her heart skip a beat. He looked happier than she'd seen him all week. It was as if being thanked and seeing the amazing result of what he had done twenty years ago was making him happy again. It was as if the purpose that he had been longing for had finally been found.

As they walked into the main courtyard they were met by Frisia. She wore a silky, translucent blue cloak, wearing a diamond headpiece and necklace that caught the bright glow of the setting sun, reflecting it with a graceful sheen. A thin layer of eye shadow had been applied just above her eyes, contrasting her polished pale blue scales and accenting her piercing cyan eyes.

"Good evening, Frisia," Spyro said with a smile.

"Hey Spyro," she said, smiling back at Spyro. "Glad to see you've recovered; you gave us one hell of a scare when you crashed in with that seizure."

Spyro chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Y-Yeah, s-sorry about that, Frisia," he apologised.

"It's alright, it's not your fault. I was happy to help out how I could."

"And I thank you for that," Cynder added. "Inferno too. Speaking of which, where is he?"

"He's with Dad getting his armour fitted. Inferno didn't have any given to him before he came to Warfang, so Dad is giving him a helping paw and fitting some for him."

"Has he seen you yet?"

"Not before I got dressed up for the celebration; he's been out with Dad all day."

"Well he's going to be in for one hell of a shock," a voice said from behind them as Cyril walked out into the courtyard, wearing his own armour.

"Dad!" Frisia exclaimed, running towards him and embracing her father in a hug. "Where's Inferno?"

"He should be on his way; I had to leave early because all the guardians are expected to be here to officially open the ceremony which starts in a few minutes," Cyril explained, before turning to Spyro and Cynder. "Are you two ready?"

"Yes, Cyril. Completely prepared and ready," Spyro replied with a smile. "Got the script and the look to prove it."

"Are you sure?" Volteer asked as he stepped out and met them, followed by Terrador who stood beside him.

Both dragons were in their own armour, and Terrador even wore a gauntlet on his left paw as it held a lot of significance to him. The reason was unknown to many creatures, only Terrador knew of its importance.

"I'm fine, Volteer. There's no need to worry," Spyro replied.

"Interesting…"

"Volteer, there's no need to worry about it now," Terrador scolded in a hushed, deep voice, trying to be as vague as possible because he didn't know whether Spyro knew that Cynder had come to ask them about his condition earlier today. "We can worry about it later; for now we have the ceremony to worry about."

Volteer just looked at his fellow guardian and nodded silently, making the same assumption that the earth guardian had. Spyro didn't take any notice of their exchange as he pointed out Inferno walking into the courtyard a few metres away from him. Frisia gasped as she saw him, her heart fluttering and thumping against her chest with every second. Inferno was clad in shiny metal armour, walking proud and with a sense of heroism. His chestplate had a ruby adorned in the middle of it and his headpiece had the symbol of the fire element engraved into the golden plating. His scales were polished and sheened in the fading sunlight, almost brighter than his armour. She stepped forward and Inferno caught sight of her, stopping in his tracks.

Inferno had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life. Her icy scales gleamed and shimmered before his eyes, radiating with beauty and making his heart beat ever faster. What mesmerised him the most though, were her eyes. They shimmered in the evening sun, filling his with complete love and affection. After a few long, hesitant seconds, both dragons ran towards each other before they embraced in a strong hug, lovingly nuzzling one another. They stared into each other's eyes before sharing a long and passionate kiss, making the crowd around them 'aww' in contemptment.

Cynder watched as her heart fluttered for them.

"I remember being just like that with you, Spyro," she chuckled. "Couldn't take my paws off of you."

Spyro's only response was, "I didn't know they were together."

Cynder just chuckled at Spyro's response, giving him a light kiss on the cheek before turning to the guardians behind them. They all watched as Inferno and Frisia embraced and nuzzled, warm smiles on their faces. Cyril's eyes began to water as he saw his daughter deeply in love with Inferno, someone who believed would care for her and love her until the end of their days.

Terrador patted Cyril on the shoulder.

"I saw that tear Cyril, you must be proud of her," whispered Terrador.

The ice guardian just nodded, sniffing and exhaling shakily as he tried to hold his emotions in. Inferno and Frisia parted from the embrace before walking towards Spyro, Cynder and the guardians.

"You look absolutely astounding, Frisia," Inferno said, eyes gleaming with love.

"You look quite amazing yourself, Inferno," Frisia replied.

Inferno just chuckled awkwardly, a bright blush making its way through his already red scales. The onlooking dragons just chuckled at Inferno's sheepish behaviour, almost reminding them of how nervous Spyro was when he proposed to Cynder. Inferno himself was not used to having so much attention like this, only being a regular dragon back at home, albeit not having a father.

"Alright guys, it's time to open up the ceremony," Volteer said.

The other two guardians nodded. Terrador followed Volteer up to the stairs, ready to hop up on top of the pedestal in the centre of the courtyard. Before Cyril turned to follow, he turned to Frisia and kissed her on the forehead, wishing his daughter to have fun and to enjoy her time with Inferno. Volteer reached the top of the stairs and stepped onto the pedestal, followed closely by Terrador who was standing next to him. With a sudden wave of his paw, Terrador silenced the crowd beneath him and an ambitious hush was created. Inferno and Frisia stood in front of the small stage, Frisia snuggling into Inferno's chest while he nuzzled her.

Meanwhile, Spyro and Cynder were sitting at the bottom of the stairs, eagerly awaiting their turn to speak. They were indeed nervous, but Cynder was confident that it would go well. Spyro on the other hand, was worried beyond belief. For the last few days, he had been tormented and seen horrible things. His thoughts ran back to them, thinking of the nightmares that plagued his mind.

"Hey," Cynder said, pushing him out of his trance as she sensed his worry. "It'll be okay."

Spyro nodded and kissed her gently, placing a tender paw on the side of her cheek. On the pedestal, looking out over the crowd, Terrador began to speak out to the many eager faces that gazed up at him, his voice booming out to the far reaches of the courtyard.

"Dragons and dragonesses, creatures from all lands, we welcome you back to Warfang to celebrate this tremendous occasion!"

Terrador paused for a few seconds, waiting for the applause and cheers from the crowd to die down.

"Twenty years ago this day, we were under siege, battling against the darkest and most evil foes that wished to do this world harm. So there we stood, strong, proud and determined to not let this world fall to darkness! Although we have lost family, fellow soldiers and… fellow guardians…"

Terrador paused for a few seconds. Ignitus' death still hurt him to this day, eating away at the back of his mind every time he thought of his name. A series of whispers were sent around the crowd, some hanging their heads low and remembering the fallen fire guardian. Terrador lifted his head and continued his speech.

"We remained strong and true to our objective: eternal peace for all the lands! But, there is no darkness without light. And that light saved us all. We must never forget… the bravery of the two dragons that saved our world and brought peace and plenty to all of us! The purple dragon Spyro and his wife, Cynder!"

An eruption of applause exploded into the air, echoing through Spyro's ears as he heard his name being shouted. A sudden jolt of nervous energy streamed through his back, making him take a sudden intake of breath. He felt a soft paw on his shoulder, knowing that it was Cynder showing her support. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Spyro steadied his nerves and began to walk up the steps, soon reaching the top and looking out over the crowd that was now cheering and screaming as they saw their saviour. Terrador ushered him over to the pedestal and Spyro stepped onto it, placing the script in front of him and looking out over the crowd. Cynder placed herself next to him and gave him a supportive smile.

Spyro stared up at crowd and began his speech.

"Dragons and dragonesses, creatures of all kinds, we are humbled to see so many of you here tonight to… celebrate our achievement of peace and prosperity. Twenty years ago, on this very day, Cynder and I journeyed into the Belt of Fire to face our greatest foe: the Dark Master, Malefor. During the fight, not only did I know what was at stake, but I also knew who was fighting alongside me. Looking at Cynder that day, fighting for what we all believed in, I knew that she was more than just my friend and ally. She was no longer bound to me as a burden, but bound with love."

A series of sighs and gentle sounds of quiet affection spread around the crowd, Spyro's love for Cynder melting their hearts. Cynder gave Spyro a small kiss on the cheek, making him chuckle slightly before continuing.

"While the world was breaking apart, I knew I had one objective. Not only was it to save the dragoness that I loved, but it was also to make sure that this world remained in peace. That it was made to live without fear and without despair or pain. With Cynder beside me, I let all of my will and power loose, creating the world as we know it today."

Spyro nodded to Cynder for her to continue, moving backward slightly and handing her the script.

"As I witnessed Spyro release his power, I knew that I couldn't die without revealing my biggest secret to him. So, I told him I loved him. After the explosion, it was all a blur. Waking up in that field outside of the mountain… to a world that we had saved was scary indeed. But one thing was for sure, I wasn't afraid because I had Spyro with me. So now we deliver this message to you. We didn't do this because of our power. We did this because of our trust in each other, our love for each other. The bond that we shared was too powerful for Malefor to comprehend, thus rendering him completely helpless against us. We saved this world, because of you. And for that, we are eternally grateful."

The crowd once again erupted into applause, some tears being shed as hundreds of creatures cheered their saviours. Spyro and Cynder shared a long and accomplished kiss, making the crowd cheer louder than before. The two lovers parted, breathing heavily, before the guardians allowed them to step down from the stage. Terrador stepped back to the front of the pedestal and made another announcement.

"Thank you everybody, the celebration ceremony will officially begin now. Games, competitions and other performances will begin shortly and will continue throughout the night. Have fun, stay safe, and celebrate twenty years of freedom!"

Warfang was filled with joyful cheers and screams, before the crowd began to break off, going over to chat with other people, go to restaurants for food, pubs for a good drink, and games buildings where competitions, raffles and gambling would soon begin.

Spyro looked at Cynder lovingly as they stepped down the stairs, the guardians following them.

"You did great, Spyro," Cynder said, giving him another kiss, which he eagerly returned.

"Thanks, Cyn. I still can't believe it's been twenty years though," Spyro replied as they parted lips.

"It _has_ been a long while hasn't it?" Terrador added from behind them.

"And look at how close the people of Warfang have become," Cyril said. "It seems they get closer every year, especially if that proposal last year was anything to go by. Even you two have seemed to get closer over the past years, Spyro and Cynder."

"I love her, Cyril. I would never stop," Spyro responded, wrapping a wing around Cynder who giggled at his actions.

"Sweet talker," Cynder said in his ear, making him puff out his chest.

"You two have always been an adorable couple," Volteer chuckled, causing a small blush to form on both their cheeks.

"Alright, now let's spread out and mingle," Terrador said. "I've got an old childhood friend coming up from Dorgon to meet me, and I'm looking forward to seeing him for the first time in… oh, fifty years or so?"

"Yeah, we should see if we can find Timber and Saiph and see how they're doing," Spyro suggested.

"No doubt they'll be together. I saw Saiph on my rounds yesterday but Timber must've been off doing something else. It wouldn't hurt to find them," Cynder replied.

"Well, you'll probably find them in a bar," Terrador chuckled. "My son loves his champagne, and he was the one that got Saiph into it."

"And Saiph got me into it," Cynder added with a chuckle.

"And what about you? Last I remembered you didn't drink; has Cynder got you out of that?" Terrador asked Spyro, raising an eyebrow.

"She _tried_, but I spat the champagne out all over her," Spyro admitted awkwardly. "I guess I'm not a drinker; I hate the taste."

Terrador just chuckled.

"That's probably a good thing," he said. "Everyone reacts to alcohol differently, _some_ worse than others."

Cyril's eyes widened as Terrador and Volteer both turned to look at him with cheeky smirks on their faces. The ice guardian spluttered, not finding the words to articulate him being outed like that. Spyro and Cynder just chuckled.

"Do we want to know?" Cynder asked.

"Let's just say Cyril goes completely loopy under the influence and one time he tried to kiss me," Terrador dobbed.

"Alright, that's enough of that from you!" Cyril scolded sternly, his face flushing red from embarrassment and anger. "And in the meantime I am going to socialise! Good night!"

The other dragons just laughed as Cyril stormed off. They all then agreed that going to socialise with the other citizens was a good idea so they all said their goodbyes and made their leave. Spyro and Cynder turned and walked off towards the nearest pub a few blocks away where they hoped they would find Timber and Saiph. The famous couple was greeted by many citizens, thanking them and wishing them a good, enjoyable night. They returned the good wishes and proceeded forward, smiles plastered on their faces.

They were about a block away from the pub before their attention was diverted to a group of three small children arguing loudly over who was going to be it in a game of tag.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Cynder asked softly, causing the little pairs of eyes to flick up at her.

"Deros wants to be it but he was it _last_ time!" a little ice dragoness complained, pointing to an earth dragon standing across from her.

"But Amara's _always_ it!" Deros whined, getting up into the ice dragoness' face.

"Only because I can't run as fast as you two!" Amara argued back.

"Well you need to get faster!" the nimble electric dragoness standing beside the two shouted.

"Calm down, little ones!" Cynder said calmly, before talking to them about how they could solve the issue.

Spyro just stood, watching Cynder talk to the hatchlings, love swelling up in his heart for her again. Ancestors, she was so good with kids. He stayed back, making sure not to interrupt Cynder. He looked around his surroundings for a bit, noticing how happy everyone else was as they chatted, played, ate and drank together. It was great seeing everyone enjoying themselves so much. They all deserved it.

Distracted from the ceremony, Spyro's mind opened up just enough for a whisper to enter his head. It was intelligible, wordless, but enough to put a shiver up Spyro's spine as he whirled around to see who was behind him. It was nothing too unusual; just a bunch of dragons standing around and socialising, large smiles on their faces.

Until he realised their eyes were glowing white.

He stepped back slowly, horror consuming him. His breathing turned shallow and sweat began to pour down the sides of his face. Spyro couldn't stand it and broke into a heavy sprint in the other direction, trying to get away from the glowing eyes. He heard Cynder's protests behind him, but he didn't acknowledge them. All that was on his mind was getting away from the white eyes that had been tormenting him over the past few days, running aimlessly as he did so. As he turned the corner, making his way down another street, he was greeted by more glowing white eyes staring out at him from inside the wall of a building. He let out a yelp as he picked up the pace, almost falling head over heels as he tripped over a mole, knocking it to the ground. Spyro didn't even bother checking to see whether the mole was alright. He raced down another corner, colliding with a dragon walking the other way. They picked themselves off the ground and Spyro took one look at the dragon, noticing his glowing white eyes, before pummelling him to the ground again, causing shocked gasps to swell throughout the street.

Spyro turned tail and continued running down the street, pushing and shoving through the crowd rushing to make sure the dragon he'd just hit was alright. He looked back on the occasion, noticing that some of the dragons were looking back at him. All he was met with were condescending white gazes that judged him, digging further and further into his soul. He tried to pick up the pace even more, breathing heavily as his lungs screamed for mercy, but the white eyes continued to follow him everywhere he went.

In a desperate attempt to get away, he took a massive leap forward, slamming through the cobblestone wall of a building, which turned out to be a pub. All the conversation stopped as the purple dragon collapsed on the ground, sending rubble everywhere. Spyro quickly raised himself to his paws, looking around frantically. His head was pounding and a series of sharp pains coursed their way around his dust-covered body. With his chest heaving from shuddering breaths, Spyro picked himself up from the floor, hoping that the white eyes that followed him were gone.

He turned around and saw Timber and Saiph standing a few tables away, their own eyes gleaming with the savage white glow that had been torturing him.

"Spyro? Is that you?" Timber asked, but his voice sounded terribly distorted through Spyro's ears.

"W-W-Why won't you just... LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Spyro howled, spittle spraying from his lips as his muscles tensed.

Timber let out a cry of fear as he tried to get out of the way, but he was immediately tackled to the ground by Spyro. He tried furiously to get out from underneath his grasp, scraping and tearing the wood beneath him, soon finding that Spyro was too strong. Spyro used every ounce of his strength to keep him pinned, crushing his head with a firm paw. Limbs and tails thrashed everywhere, knocking over several tables including the one Timber and Saiph had been sitting at, causing drinks to go flying into the air and smashing down onto the wooden floor next to them.

The first sensation of pain flared through Timber as a heavy fist walloped him in the left eye, and he let out a loud cry. Spyro slugged him again, this time in the jaw. Timber recovered, spitting blood out at Spyro after having his teeth dislodged slightly from the impact of Spyro's punch. Spyro let out an unearthly howl at the blood that was spat at him, before grabbing Timber's head with both forepaws and slamming it twice into the ground, praying to the ancestors to see those white eyes close. Timber held onto consciousness, blood dripping from the back of his head.

Spyro eventually gave up and readjusted his hold on Timber's head, getting in position to snap his neck. Timber's expression became one of pure terror, and just as Spyro was ready to move, muscles tensed, a large black dragoness rammed into his side, knocking him off Timber and freeing him. Saiph ran to Timber's side, dragging him away from Spyro and Cynder.

Cynder stood, staring at her mate with a look of fear on her face as Spyro picked himself up off the ground, snarling angrily. As he looked at her, he noticed her eyes were glowing white too, just like all the rest. He didn't have the words to rebuke her and just let out a terrible scream, lunging at Cynder. She intercepted him, digging her claws into his own as they both rose on their hind legs, clenching forepaws tightly.

"Spyro! This isn't you! Snap out of it!" she screamed at him, hoping that his soulless eyes would diminish to their normal colour of purple.

Cynder tried to overpower her mate, but Spyro was much stronger, muscles rippling as he threw her down to the ground. She recovered quickly, whirling around and breathing a heavy gust of wind at Spyro, sending him flying into the counter of the bar. Spyro was sent tumbling, smashing all the bottles behind it, glass penetrating his scales. Cynder got up and leapt on top of Spyro, holding him down as he thrashed underneath her, his lips pulled back to reveal several sharp fangs that itched to bite down on her flesh.

"What's happening to you?! It's me, it's Cynder!"

Hostile growls emanated from Spyro's throat as he shook, trying to throw Cynder off him.

"You would… never hurt me. Do you remember what you said to me when you asked me to marry you? You said, till the day I die. That was no trick, that was no darkness. That was you, the real you. Till the day I die."

"T-T-Till… the… d-d-day I d-d-die…."

Cynder's words seemed to spark something strange that overcame him. His shaking relented, as did his savage scowl. He went limp in her grasp, but not before saying his final words.

"**Si mi wer sickness, wer sickness batobot sho'vothic shio waphir youwei."**

Cynder felt a terrible feeling wash over her as she let out a hoarse gasp, knowing that Spyro… was beginning to fail…

* * *

**There we have it! This chapter was so much fun to write and it is also the longest one that I've written if I'm honest. Special thanks to SKda for helping me out with this and Cheetah as well for giving some ideas. She has very little time to write at the moment beings that she's busy with college, but she still loves Spyro and I cannot wait until she comes back and starts writing again. As for all of you reading that chapter, I'm sure all of you are curious about that last line. All will be revealed in the next two chapters hehehe.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… Signing off ^_^**


	10. CH8: A Blurred Mindset

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. Even as we continue pumping out chapters, I am completely bewildered at how much support this story is currently getting. I'm honestly shocked and I cannot thank you guys enough. Again, thanks to all the reviewers that are staying consistent and enjoying the story:**

**\- TARDIS  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- IllusionMaster  
\- June Osorio  
\- Lagendia**

**Hope you guys enjoy this next chapter, because this… will keep you on the edge of your seat.**

**Let the story continue!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains graphic gore and some mild language use. Reader discretion is advised.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: A Blurred Mindset**

Spyro could hear nothing but his own heartbeat, a thrust of drum-like sounds banging against his ears. He felt nothing beneath him, not even his own limbs. The purple dragon pushed himself up, straining to stay upright as his muscles screamed and ached. Opening his eyes slightly, he found that he was not in a familiar place.

"Where am I?" he said to himself as he began to walk forwards, his voice echoing within his own ears.

As he took slow, cautious steps forward, he looked around his surroundings. The atmosphere around him was bleak, bright flashes fading in and out of existence as he stared. A soft blue void surrounded him, pulsating with each heartbeat. Large cyan stems decorated the void, branching out into many smaller stems, wrapping around the void like an intricate spiderweb.

All Spyro knew was that he was standing on something soft, soon noticing a large spherical bulb at the end of the long stem he was standing on, even more branches spreading out off of it. They connected with other tiny branches that spread out of other bulbs, they too were pulsating to the rhythm of his heart. He looked up, noticing the webbing framework continued for several kilometres up above him. As he saw each branch in the distance he noticed they were neurons, their dim blue sparks only lasting a second as he watched them fly like fireflies through the air.

Was this his mind? How in the ancestors names did he get here?

As Spyro took more steps forward, shrouds of light and shadow raised from both sides, whispering and swirling beside him as he walked. At first, he retracted in fear, but at closer inspection, he realised they were something familiar. Figures began to be created as he continued to walk further, soon becoming an exact replica of himself, and of the one he so desperately wanted to see.

Cynder.

Spyro looked at a pair of figures, one suspended in the air and the other looking up the other figure with love and admiration. Spyro recognised it instantly. It was the day he saved the world. The words that were said that day began to race through his ears.

"_The world is breaking apart, but I think I can stop it. I think I'm meant to," _one figure said, making Spyro smile with nostalgia.

"_Then I'm with you," _said another, its voice identical to Cynder's.

Spyro's smile grew ever wider, knowing what came next. It was the moment he knew that she would be by his side, until the end of his days.

"_I love you…"_

That sweet phrase. Those sweet, comforting words were the only things needed to make tears come to Spyro's eyes as the memory disappeared. It was one of the happiest moments of his life, forever embedded in his mind. Spyro kept walking, wiping a tear from his eye as yet more memories came into his vision. Some bad, but most of them good and happy.

The bad ones were fairly minor incidents: a few arguments with his friends, the day where Cynder ended up with a heavy fever, and the one time he got beat up for defending Cynder from people trying to rebuke her. Spyro continued walking along the large stem and noticed a particular memory forming in front of him, this one being the worst one yet. And this time it was a pretty major bad memory.

He saw the forms of both him and Cynder picking themselves up off the ground, before Spyro's figure turned back and screamed out into the void.

"_Ignitus! No!"_

Spyro's breath hitched as he saw this, feeling the toxic sting of Ignitus' death once more, the wound now fresh once more after the hallucination he'd had of his mentor yesterday. The figure of Cynder stepped up behind his form, a look of grief on her own face too.

"_Spyro, stop!"_ she cried, and Spyro noticed his facial expression begin to turn cold, not believing that Cynder was telling him to stop mourning. _"It's too late; you can't do anything for him now."_

"_No! He isn't gone!"_ Spyro's form snapped back, voice breaking, trying to hold his tears in.

Spyro held his breath, wanting to tear his eyes away from the scene as he knew what was coming, but they were glued to the terrible memory as if he were living it all over again.

"_Spyro… let it go."_

The purple dragon gulped, knowing that this was the point where he had given up on holding back his emotions, grief and anger swelling up within him. The form of his own body whirled around as bright white eyes glared savagely at Cynder.

"_No!"_ he scowled, spreading open his wings and taking to the air, flying backwards as much as he could.

The snake-chain necklace ignited and held the two dragons in place, but the form of Spyro tried desperately to fly back into the Belt of Fire, ready to pull Cynder in with him. She held on with all her might, looking up at Spyro with a pleading look in her eyes. The real Spyro watching this felt a heavy twinge in his heart as he saw that terrible look on Cynder's face: sorrow, grief, pleading.

"_Spyro, don't!"_ she begged, trying to find her footing as her left forepaw slipped.

"_You can't stop me!"_ the form of Spyro growled, an unearthly scowl pulling at his lips as he bore his pearl-white fangs and blood-red gums.

"_You're right; only _you_ can do that. Please, Spyro. Don't do this!"_

Spyro watched as he pondered on Cynder's words, lowering himself back to safe ground with a groan. His face twisted from rage to mourning, forlorn eyes gleaming with tears that now threatened to leave them. Spyro turned his head, unable to watch anymore, even though he knew that this was where Cynder told him he wasn't alone. While he needed to hear that right now, he didn't want to go through watching himself on the verge of crying, standing weakly as Cynder nuzzled him.

He didn't hear any more words being said, and looked back at where the vision once was. Blue mist swirled from the scene, leaving it empty and floating away into the void. He sighed, knowing it was over. He turned around, continuing to walk forward along the stem before he noticed yet another was beginning to form in the distance. As Spyro got closer, he noticed one figure bowing his head and holding out a small ring. Spyro's heart blossomed with happiness and sweet memory, throwing the horrible memory he'd just witnessed out of his head. It was his favourite.

The day he proposed to Cynder.

He felt it all again. The nerves, the sweat pouring down his back and the shaking of his paw. More importantly, he remembered every word. Even the moments leading up to the actual proposal.

"_That was great Spyro, thanks for taking me out tonight," _the figure of Cynder said, their shapes now forming into colour and actual beings.

"_I-It's my pleasure Cynder, glad you enjoyed it," _the figure of Spyro said, its form now contorting to one of a much younger and more nervous looking Spyro. _"H-Hey, I'd l-like t-t-to ask you s-s-something if that's o-okay."_

"_Sure, go ahead."_

Spyro chuckled at his own nervousness, reliving the feeling that he felt. He mouthed every word, his eyes shining with tears of joy.

"_We-well um…"_

"Go on, say it," he urged the figure as he watched.

"_Cynder, I've begun to grow more and more… what's the word? Um… close! Yes, close that's it! Ahem… more close to you as time went on and… to go through all that we went through and still be together is great and, I never get tired of it. I just love being with you and… okay, here's what I'm trying to say. I love you Cynder, with all my heart and I can't bear it when we're not together so… I want us to be together forever."_

Spyro's smile grew ever wider as the ring was revealed, Cynder's figure beginning to gasp and her eyes shining with tears.

"_Cynder…? Will you do me the greatest honour any dragon can have, and marry me?"_

"_You already know the answer to that,_" the form of Cynder whispered, getting closer to the other and placing a paw on its chest. _"But will you?"_

"_Till the day I die_," his figure confirmed before placing the ring on one of Cynder's claws, Spyro mouthing the line that bound them together.

Before the memory began to fade, Spyro only focused on both of the figures smiling wildly before sharing a passionate kiss.

Spyro continued on, reaching a large central platform, wider than any of the walkways. He looked around; it was empty. A distinct feeling of dread rushed to his stomach, making him place himself on guard and his eyes darting from corner to corner. All he'd had was his memories to keep him company, and he wasn't even met with one here. He felt nervous and jumpy, afraid that something was going to pop out from behind him.

"_That's not an answer, Spyro."_

Spyro froze at the scornful voice behind him, knowing exactly who that was. He turned around, seeing a spectral form of a very angry Cynder, exactly the same way she had been last night when they had their massive argument. Spyro's heart began to race as Cynder seethed with anger, but the anger seemed a lot more accented than it had been last night. Fear overcame him, and it was the first time since he first met her as the Terror of the Skies that he'd been paralysed with fear, her face contorted with rage. She continued to shout at him, but he didn't register the words. He knew exactly what she was saying though. It was just a memory so it was exactly the same as what she had said to him last night.

It was just a memory. He closed his eyes and told himself that over and over again. It was just a memory. If he tried to forget about it, it would go away. It would go away.

"_OPEN YOUR EYES AND ANSWER ME!"_ Cynder shrieked, deep undertones coating her voice with extra anger and a tint of darkness.

His eyes snapped open again and Cynder remained standing in front of him, her eyes gleaming a crimson red colour instead of the usual emerald.

"_TELL ME, WHY ARE YOU BEING SO SECRETIVE?! WHY ARE YOU HIDING EVERYTHING FROM ME?!"_ Cynder screamed.

Spyro didn't reply, waiting to hear his own voice. This was a memory, right? Or was his mind distorting it into something else now? He stood there, quivering and staring at Cynder with fear.

"_DAMN IT SPYRO, JUST _ANSWER_ ME ALREADY!"_ Cynder screamed once more, dark red mist bellowing from her maw as she prepared to let out a full-blown siren scream.

"Okay! Okay! I'll answer you!" Spyro exclaimed. "Wait, I already have! I told you in the bathroom this morning everything that was going on! Why are you asking again?"

"_Because you never told me of _this_! All of _this_?! Do you know what you've done, Spyro?! YOU WENT DARK! YOU ALMOST KILLED TIMBER! FOR NO APPARENT REASON! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU WERE GOING DARK?!"_

Spyro stammered, trying to find the words that would try and calm her. Cynder just interrupted him, letting out a vulgar scream that pierced his ear drums and made his head burn with high pitched noises. Hurling curses at him, Cynder began to take threatening steps towards him, making his breathing increase and fear to channel all the way through his body. Spyro let out his own scream but it was wordless and incoherent. He collapsed to the ground, raising his wing over his head to defend himself. He scrunched his face up and closed his eyes, bracing himself for the attack.

To his surprise, nothing happened. Spyro opened his eyes, sticking his head out from underneath his wing, looking around for any sign of Cynder. Nothing. Instead, all that came was a deep, hideous laugh. He looked around once more, noticing that he was the only one on the large platform once more. The evil laugh continued rumbling, hammering against his ear drums.

"Where are you?!" Spyro cried, wiping the tears off his face. "Show yourself, whoever you are!"

"**Come on, Spyro. You know better than to give me orders like that,"** the deep voice said, the low bass tones rumbling painfully in the void around Spyro, and the demonic undertones sent a shiver down the purple dragon's spine.

"Who are you? Where are you?" Spyro asked once more, his voice now reduced to a pitiful whimper. "I'm done playing games!"

"**You should know me very well by now, Spyro. Those little games you speak of? That was **_**me**_**, Spyro. That was all **_**my**_** doing. Oh what joy it was to hear you writhe and scream in those dreams of yours. Ah, t'was music to my ears."**

"But who _are _you?! I don't know who the hell you are!"

"**Search deep inside yourself, Spyro. I've been in your life for many, **_**many**_** years."**

Anger and frustration flared inside Spyro as he spun around, trying to find the source of the voice.

"Just damn well _show_ yourself already! I don't know who you are so stop being so damn _cryptic_ about it!" Spyro cried. "You keep attacking me, torturing me, _abusing_ me, and I'm sick of it! Show yourself and then get the _hell_ out of my life."

"**I don't think that's something I can do right now, Spyro. I need you."**

"Need me for _what_?!"

"**That's something that doesn't concern you, purple dragon."**

"You have been _abusing_ me for the past two or three _days_! I think it _very well_ concerns me because I'm suffering for it! NOW STOP TALKING AND JUST SHOW YOUR DAMNED FACE! WHERE… THE HELL… _ARE YOU_?!"

As a response, a long, pointed claw tapped Spyro menacingly on the shoulder, causing the purple dragon to rip himself away with a scream. As he turned around to look at his torturer in the face, the large, mangled form of Ignitus welcomed him with a nasty scowl. His burnt, crusted scales and flesh bringing forth the fear into Spyro's heart once more. He felt his heart jump into his throat; he could barely breathe. The condescending gaze of the one eye was enough to make Spyro feel worthless. The other eye that hung by the optic nerve from the socket just made Spyro feel sick.

"It's… It's y-y-you…" Spyro whimpered, shrinking in on himself as Ignitus advanced.

"**Oh, not just me…"** Ignitus hissed with the same hoarse, croaky voice he had spoken with earlier, before he was engulfed in a thick black mist, hiding him completely from view. **"I can be whoever the hell I want to be."**

The shadowy wisps quickly dissipated, leaving behind a new dragon. It was Malefor, dark purple muscles rippling as he continued his advance towards Spyro, reptilian yellow eyes piercing Spyro's soul.

"**I can take on any form I want,"** the creature who posed as Malefor said, now borrowing Malefor's voice.

The creature changed again, Spyro's heart dropping with every change of form the creature undertook, his body trembling with fear and dread. When the shadows faded, Malefor was replaced by Timber. His left eye was swollen and had a large slash across it, the cut caked in blood and boiling pus. Bubbling blood streamed from his mouth, dripping down his chin and onto the ground as blood also streamed down the back of his head. His bloodshot green eyes were thick with disbelief and anger, making the purple dragon cower with even more fear. Spyro wilted on the spot as the vague memory of beating up Timber entered his head, hazy and disorganised as the moment was controlled by his rage and dark side; he didn't remember much of it.

"**Any form I want…"** the creature began, stealing Timber's voice, spitting out blood as it swelled out of his maw, before the shadows engulfed him once more. **"...just to torture you, my purple friend."**

The shadowy cloak disappeared once more, creating a form that broke Spyro's heart in two. It was Cynder, only bloodied, broken and completely mangled. Spyro took one look at her body and felt sorrow swell in his heart. He knew that this wasn't Cynder; it was just this _thing_… _posing_ as her. But he couldn't help but feel upset, believing that he'd failed her, that he couldn't protect her. Seeing her so broken and bloodied hurt him, and the tears finally began to flow as he looked upon the bloody form of his mate.

"C-C-Cynder… I'm so sorry…" Spyro sobbed as he stared at her sorry state, knowing that the creature he was dealing with was trying to break him.

"**Urh… you have no idea how long I've tried not to vomit as you two have been so affectionate towards each other. It makes me SICK! No wonder it felt better to change those memories."**

Spyro realised that the creature had been toying with his memories and was beginning to alter them. If something as painful as the argument he had with Cynder last night could be altered so easily, who knew what this thing could do to the good memories? The memories he cherished?

"**Ah, so you've figured it out. Well, let me tell you this. I can do anything I want, Spyro,"** the creature said, stealing Cynder's voice, making Spyro angry just for stealing the voice of his beloved. **"I can read your feeble mind. I know exactly what you're thinking. I know what thoughts you have, I know your every move."**

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Spyro screamed, lunging at the form of Cynder.

The creature sidestepped, causing Spyro to rush past him. Turning round with a sickening grin, the creature slugged him in the flank, causing him to fall to the ground with a thud. Spyro coughed, groaning, looking up at the creature who was posing as his mate. It let out a foul chuckle, causing a hideous smirk to pull at its lips.

"**I'll give you one piece of advice. Don't try and attack me again. I know what you're planning. I know what you're thinking. You will **_**never**_** win against me."**

"Stop it. You don't have control over me…" Spyro groaned, picking himself painfully off the ground. "YOU CAN'T CONTROL ME LIKE THIS!"

"**Yes I can."**

The creature snapped a talon and Spyro stopped, letting out a hoarse choke as he clutched his chest. He collapsed back to the ground, trying to comprehend what was happening. Everything hurt. Spots began to cloud his vision and he felt his body shut down. He couldn't feel his heart beating. He tried to inhale again but his lungs refused to work, causing him to choke on the air in his mouth. His chest burned as his lungs screamed for air and his heart hung still, the blood beginning to settle in his blood vessels. Soon everything was hurting as the blood begin to weigh down on him due to it not being constantly moved throughout his body with every pump of the heart.

Fear overcame him once more, knowing that he was going to die. He choked again, trying to ask for help, begging the creature posing as Cynder to get his heart going again. His flesh began to go pale as his eyes started to roll back in his head, vision finally fading. As soon as he slumped over on the ground however, a strong _thump_ resonated from his chest as his heart slowly began beating again. Spyro inhaled hoarsely, coughing and gasping heavily as he tried to get his breath back.

The creature just chuckled before it engulfed itself in shadows again. This time the shadowy mist sucked itself into the body of the creature, revealing a dragon with pitch-black scales and hideous, glowing white eyes. Black mist rose from between the scales of the dragon and its lips were curled into a nasty sneer. Spyro gasped as he realised who this was.

"Y-y-y-you…" Spyro croaked at his dark self, trying to stand but collapsing back to the ground, his strength wasted. "Y-You're my darker side… Dark Spyro."

Dark Spyro chuckled, his voice deep and distorted.

"**Yes, me. Your greatest enemy,"** he sneered, stepping towards Spyro and lowering his head to his level, filling the purple dragon's gaze with nothing but the pair of soulless eyes. **"But in your filthy common tongue I am known as that… quite **_**dull **_**name. In another, I am known as Mortem."**

"W-W-What? A-Am I supposed to be i-i-impressed?!" Spyro coughed as he tried to push himself back onto all fours, falling back down to the floor with a thud.

"**It's a name that you should fear. It is an old draconic name, spoken in an ancient language that is only known by three dragons in these lands. The first being that cumbersome Cynder, the second being that mumbling bastard of a guardian and the third being the Chronicler of the age. But, since I consider myself a remorseful being I shall give you the knowledge of it." **

The form of Mortem placed his paw on Spyro's forehead, sharing his knowledge of the ancient language with the purple dragon. It was somewhat overwhelming as his brain filled up with knowledge of a complete language, but it was calming at the same time. Spyro was unsettled by how calming it was due to this knowledge coming directly from Mortem.

"**Now, here's a little test," **Mortem said with a sneer. **"Do you remember what I said when you… passed out?"**

"I'm not playing this game," Spyro said with a cold stare, wanting no part in the game that his darker side was playing.

"**Fine then, I'll tell you. I said: Si mi wer sickness, wer sickness batobot sho'vothic shio waphir youwei. Do you know what that means?"**

Spyro said nothing, only thinking of the answer and realising the true nature of what he was up against.

"Y-Y-You're… you're… a…"

"**Very good Spyro, very good. You're not as hopeless as I thought," **Mortem sneered as his white eyes pierced through Spyro's soul, burning deeper and deeper as he continued to stare at him. **"Now as for you attacking me just now. **_**Don't**_** test me like that again. That was a warning. I can do whatever the hell I want with you."**

"Then… Then why don't you j-j-j-just k-kill me and be d-d-done with it?" Spyro groaned.

"**Because I **_**need**_** you, Spyro. I need you as a vessel. I want to get out of this damn head of yours. I want to get out into the world. Become total. A total being of darkness,"** Mortem said darkly, lips moving tauntingly as he spoke. **"I need you to be alive so I can use this body. Because without it, we both die. We depend on each other to survive."**

"More like y-y-y-you depend on _me_. I d-d-don't need you to live! I can live perfectly fine without you!" Spyro scowled, trying once more to get to his paws, which he did with a great deal of strenuous effort.

"**Don't argue with me, Spyro. You know I know better."**

"Do you though?"

"**Don't question me. I can do more harm to you than you realise."**

"YOU STOPPED MY HEART! YOU ALMOST _KILLED _ME! WHAT _MORE _CAN YOU DO, YOU SICK BASTARD?!"

Mortem stared blankly at Spyro before a large cloud of black mist bellowed from his body, rushing up towards the nearest neuron. Immediately the black mist tainted the neuron, turning it black among the bright blues of the rest of the nervous system. Between the dendrites of the infected neuron and the neurons next to it, a large purple spark flashed between them, causing a great pain to flare through Spyro's head. He dropped to the ground yet again, clutching his head as he let out a scream of agony, spitting out more curses than he ever had at once. The pain soon subsided as the neuron returned to its normal blue colour, and Spyro's screams stopped.

"Stop abusing me, you bastard…" Spyro groaned, getting up to his paws once more.

"**I know you're going to attack me, Spyro; I can read your every thought, remember? You'd be stupid to try."**

"I don't give a damn."

With that, Spyro lunged at Mortem once again. The dark creature punched Spyro hard in the chest, sending him tumbling to the ground. Mortem landed on top of his purple counterpart, opening his jaws and lowering his head in an attempt to bite around Spyro's neck. Spyro was quick to counteract however as he reached up, grabbing both of Mortem's jaws in his paws. With a huge surge of power, he raised Mortem's jaws away from his neck, before proceeding to pry his jaws apart with a loud snap. Mortem didn't even let out a groan of pain as the crack sounded with a resounding echo. Spyro went even further and moved the paw holding onto Mortem's top jaw onto his bottom jaw, before he used both paws and a great deal of energy bestowed upon him from the earth element to tear Mortem's jaw off its hinges. It hung loosely underneath his top jaw, blood streaming from the jaw as skin, ligaments and bone were torn apart. Spyro continued to pull at Mortem's jaw, and it almost seemed like Mortem let him as he stood there, glaring angrily at Spyro, not making a sound.

Several more cracks sounded before blood began to swell up from the inside of Mortem's maw as the flesh began to rip with the jaw. With a heavy yank, Spyro pulled Mortem's jaw clean off his head with a spray of blood, throwing it aside with a splat as blood squirted from the disembodied jaw, the bloodied tongue flapping about from the impact. The red liquid spilled from Mortem's maw onto Spyro's chest, staining the gold scales a very dark red, but Mortem didn't seem to care. His face looked disgusting without the lower jaw, the snout hanging over the ground, teeth pointing down, flabs of flesh hanging suspended from the edges of the top jaw where the bottom jaw connected to it. The inside of his throat could be seen as the bottom jaw took a great deal of neck flesh away with it too, exposing his oesophagus and larynx. Everything was stained red from the torn flesh that bled profusely.

Spyro gagged at the sight, trying not to projectile vomit as he rolled out from underneath Mortem. With a click of his claws however, Mortem's jaw completely regenerated. No scratches could be seen, nor any scar to speak of. Spyro stood shocked, completely in awe and beginning to quiver with fear. Mortem had just _let_ Spyro tear off his jaw and hadn't shown a _glimpse_ of pain, and now with the snap of a talon he'd regenerated his jaw back completely.

"What the fuck are you?" Spyro whimpered as he began to take more and more steps away from Mortem.

"**I am the sickness, the sickness that devours all living things. And you Spyro… are my vessel…"**

* * *

**There we have it people! I dunno about you reading, but this was fun to write. Two chapters in quick succession whoo! This one is a little bit shorter than most so it'll give you guys a break from the massive 7K-10K chapters that we've released recently. I'm so happy with how the story is coming along. I really am enjoying myself writing this for you guys. So now we know our main villain for the story, and isn't he a mean one? Well, shows that Spyro really is in trouble. More will be revealed in the next chapter. Thanks to SKda for helping me out with this chapter, all of the work he puts in is greatly appreciated and I can't thank him enough.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… Signing off ^_^**


	11. CH9: The Story of Mortem

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. Well… it seems we have our villain, but where did he come from I wonder? Well, all of that is about to be explained but before we begin, I must say that this story is doing so well and I cannot thank you guys enough for reviewing and favoriting. Means the world to me that you guys are liking our book. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed the last chapter:**

**\- Fidget the Zoura Fossil Fighte****  
\- TARDIS  
\- IllusionMaster  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- Jos Vitor (Even though his review was blank)  
\- Atlas FF  
**

**Now, let's begin the chapter and find out… The Story of Mortem… Hope you guys enjoy the chapter.**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Story of Mortem**

Cynder's breath went hard, her heart racing fervently as panic overtook her. She felt woozy, and she had to fight to keep herself upright. Tears began to drip down her face as the events of the past few days all pieced themselves together with that one line. It repeated itself over and over again in Cynder's mind until it hurt, her head aching so much that she was forced to sit.

"Cynder?" Timber's weak, frightened voice whimpered, pulling her out of her thoughts as she turned to look at his beaten form, supported by Saiph, both sharing equal amounts of horror on their faces. "Wh-wh-why did you react l-l-like th-that? What did he say? Wh-wh-what did that mean?"

Cynder looked around her, seeing the faces of the many citizens in the pub staring at her with fear and curiosity, urging her to answer the question. They all sat wide-eyed in shock, jaws slack, breathing heavily as the unprovoked attack took place. Even after the event, everyone was absolutely terrified. Cynder could tell that half of these people were already on the verge of drunk and knew that a regular bar fight wouldn't faze some of them in the slightest, but seeing their saviour attack a regular citizen, who was even his _friend_, for no apparent reason, and going _dark_ on top of that… it frightened them beyond belief. They all thought they were safe from darkness. They thought they lived in a time of peace. And now, on the twentieth anniversary of their freedom from darkness, this happens.

Their gazes were fixed on her, demanding an answer. She had to speak. _Now_.

"He… H-h-h-he s-s-said…" Cynder stammered, before swallowing the thick lump in her throat and answering the question. "'I-I-I am the s-s-ssickness, the sickness that d-d-d-devours all l-l-living things.'"

A gasp of unison erupted in the pub as chaos ensued. People began to shout questions at Cynder, others threw insults and accusations, others bounced theories off each other of what this could mean. Seeing so many people suddenly doubting Spyro hurt Cynder to her core.

"Sickness?! What sickness?!"

"A _dark_ sickness, dimwit! Spyro's going dark on us!"

"He's becoming the next Malefor! He chose this moment to drop it on us because twenty years of freedom was such a big milestone for us!"

"He gave us twenty years to lure us into a false sense of security! He destroyed Malefor just to finish the world of himself!"

"GUYS, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Cynder roared, learning quickly that no one was listening, their snarls and accusations getting worse.

"I bet you _knew_, Cynder! I bet you _knew _he was like this! How _dare _you not tell us!"

"They're both dark! Oh ancestors, they're both gonna kill us all!"

"_Both_ Spyro and Cynder?! We stand no chance!"

"The only way to stop them is to kill them now!"

Quickly, the idea spread around the pub and everyone started to agree. It was only a few seconds later when the angry mob began to advance onto Cynder and the form of Spyro, shouting vulgar insults and screaming for their heads. Jaws snapped, tails swished and claws flexed as the crowd readied themselves to attack Spyro and Cynder. She tried her best to calm them down but had no luck; they'd thrown her out as an authoritative figure, and the same with Spyro. They honestly couldn't care about them anymore. They were both evil in their eyes now, the truth having been distorted in the click of a talon. Cynder knew that Spyro had been influenced, controlled, _possessed_, especially as he couldn't even speak ancient dragonese, but the crowd didn't know that.

She shrunk back, drawing herself closer to Spyro to defend him. Luckily, she didn't have to as the guardians burst through the broken wall, Terrador's loud voice booming through the ruckus, demanding for silence.

"_SILENCE!_" he thundered, his voice deep and deafening, causing everyone to freeze at the sudden bellow.

Even Cynder recoiled at the force behind his voice. She knew he could project his voice, but she'd never heard him yell _that _loud before, and it genuinely frightened her.

"POINTING CLAWS WILL NOT SOLVE THIS! TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" Terrador continued, anger contorting his facial expression.

"Are you too stubborn to see what's going on here, _Master_ Terrador?!" an ice dragon scowled, stepping out of the crowd and putting sarcastic emphasis on the word 'master'. "Spyro is a threat to us _all_! He _dares_ do this on the anniversary of peace?!"

"It would be unwise to challenge the word of a guardian," Terrador threatened, his eyes narrowing.

The earth guardian, as well as everyone else in the pub could tell that the dragon was already slightly drunk by the way he stumbled forward, putting heavy weight pressure on his left forepaw. The dragon's face was contorted with a savage sneer as he threw out acknowledgement of all authority that the dragon in front of him had.

"I don't give a damn," the dragon said. "Spyro deserves to die. He'll destroy us all like Malefor before him. And if you won't support us, we'll go and do it _ourselves_!"

The pub erupted into chaos as the crowd started to act upon the words of the brave dragon who had stood up to the guardians. The ice dragon lunged forward to whack Terrador in the face, but the large earth guardian intercepted him with large forepaws, holding on firmly to the ice dragon before throwing him to the ground, slamming the drunkard's face into the cobblestone floor.

Another dragon had sneaked past the guardian, approaching the unconscious form of Spyro who was sprawled across the floor, his cloak draped over him. He raised his tailblade, preparing to end the life of the purple dragon.

"DIE EVIL BASTARD!" he screamed, moving his tailblade downwards only to be stopped by a gleaming scythe one instead.

Cynder grabbed the dragon's tail and stared deep into his eyes, a cold shiver running down the dragon's spine as Cynder gave him a deathly glare.

"No one… touches my Spyro."

Within a second, Cynder grabbed the dragon's maw and threw him into a nearby table. A humongous crash filled the atmosphere as the dragon let out a cry of pain, soon rushing out of the bar as Cynder approached him again, snarling menacingly.

The rest of the pub went silent as they saw the two dragons get their egos handed to them in less than five seconds. The guardians turned angry, authoritative gazes over the whole pub, before Terrador stepped towards the unconscious form of Spyro.

"This is not who we are. We do not point claws, we are not quick to judge, and we most certainly _do not_ attack others unprovoked. This ends now. Spyro gave us this peaceful life; if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here _at all_. Now something's going on with him and as guardians it is now our duty to figure out what is wrong with him. We ask that you respect us, respect Cynder, and most importantly, respect Spyro and yourselves. Now we're going to take our leave now. Don't you go spreading rumours; half the city most likely still doesn't know what's happened here and we'd like to keep it that way. We don't want false rumours and unneeded fear spreading throughout Warfang."

With that, Terrador placed Spyro onto his back and began to walk out of the pub, leaving all of the inhabitants in a stunned and remorseful silence. Cynder began to follow suit until a paw grabbed her own.

"Cynder…"

The voice of Timber was hoarse and low, still recovering from the beating he received from Spyro. She turned to look at him, her heart lurching as she saw the swollen eye and the blood streaming from his lips. Saiph stood next to him, a comforting, supportive wing over his shoulder, pulling him close to her to keep him upright as he suffered from his concussion.

"Timber… I…"

Cynder didn't know what to say. She wanted to speak for her husband, but she knew that there was no getting out of the fact that Spyro did this.

"C-C-Cynder… gah… that isn't Spyro," Timber groaned, holding his side.

"I know," she said with a nod, a solemn look reaching her face.

"Come along Cynder!" boomed Terrador, his voice echoing off the walls of the city.

Cynder gave Timber one more look of apologetic notion before turning to follow Terrador into the temple. They walked along the corridors and through the grand halls, soon reaching the guardian's chambers. Volteer placed a number of blankets and pillows onto one of the tables to make sure that Spyro was comfortable. Terrador placed him delicately down on the table before laying a soft, silk blanket over him. Cynder wrapped her paw around Spyro's, holding it tightly. Although he wasn't awake, Cynder could at least make sure that he knew she was there and she wouldn't let go.

The guardians and Cynder sat alone in silence, only the sounds of Spyro's shaky breathing filling their ears.

"Young Cynder, may I have a word?" the voice of Volteer asked behind her.

"Sure."

Volteer sat down next to her and began to talk to her with a kind smile.

"What happened back there?" he asked her. "It seemed very peculiar to me; I am very interested and intrigued of what could be occurring and I would like to attain some understanding of it."

"I have no idea, he just… he just went out of control. He started screaming and running. The weirdest thing though, was that his eyes were glowing."

Volteer's eyes widened, an idea forming in his mind as he probed, "What colour, if you don't mind me querying?"

"White."

"Hold that trail of thought."

Volteer picked himself up and walked over towards the bookshelf, running his claw along the underside and reading the labels.

"What are you blabbering about now Volteer?" Cyril asked him with a disconcerting tone.

"Ah ha!" he exclaimed, picking a book off of the shelf and moving back over to Cynder. "It's nothing that your small and dumbfounded brain can handle Cyril, now go shove your frigid nose cavity into a dreadwing's ass. I'm working here."

Volteer opened the book with a creak, beginning to mumble to himself as he read.

"Creatures… no… plants… no… Darkness! Yes! This is it!" he exclaimed, making most of the room jump out of their scales. "Huh, interesting."

"For ancestors sake Volteer, what have you found?!" Terrador asked him, getting slightly irritated.

"From what I know, and from what I've read, it seems that Spyro has succumbed to a parasite," Volteer explained, making the room share nervous glances with each other. "But, this one is different, I've never seen one so potent and influencial before."

"What does that mean?" Cynder asked him, growing desperate for information. "What's happening to him dammit?!"

Volteer read a little further, his face dropping as he saw one phrase in particular. He dropped the book to the floor and stared forward in shock.

"This is impossible… he was destroyed… decimated… completely obliterated..."

Cynder surged upwards and grabbed Volteer by the scruff of the neck, ramming him into the bookshelf with tears streaming down her face.

"STOP BEING SO FUCKING CRYPTIC, TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY HUSBAND!" she screamed, emotion pouring out of her, throat raw from the sheer force of her scream.

"Cynder! Let him go!" Terrador demanded, making Cynder relinquish her grip on Volteer's neck, allowing him to speak.

Volteer cleared his throat and began to explain.

"Thousands of years ago, there was an ancient society called the circle of power. It housed some of our most powerful ancestors, consisting of the first guardians of the realms, and a very special creature indeed. A light dragon. One dragon in this circle of power proved quite auspicious. He was young and ambitious, rather like myself when I first commenced my position as guardian."

"Yeah, and rather irritating to say the least," Cyril interrupted, earning an irritated look from Cynder and Volteer.

"Hush Cyril!" Terrador thundered. "Go on Volteer."

"He was one of the most trusted members of the circle of power, and was trained under the light dragon. After a few years, he mastered every skill known to dragonkind, and became one of the most powerful beings in the realms. But, like Malefor, it wasn't enough and his thirst for power increased. Finding no other ways to improve his power, he turned towards dark energy, harvesting the crystals to increase his elemental abilities. But the power was too much for his mind, twisting him into a heartless vessel of darkness. With his new power, he threw the realms into turmoil, laying waste to the lands and killing everyone inside the circle of power. Apart from one. His teacher. The light dragon managed to defeat him, but not entirely. He took his body and transformed him into a soul to be imprisoned inside the Well of Souls for all eternity."

"Wait… did you say… the Well of Souls?" Cynder asked him, a spark of dread entering her stomach.

"Yes I did, why do you ask?"

"B-B-Because... Spyro fell into it… during the Night of Eternal Darkness," Cynder stammered, her heart lacing with dread and sorrow.

Volteer's breathing became quick and his eyes widened. He cursed under his breath and looked down at Spyro with concerned eyes. This worried Cynder greatly. Volteer never showed signs of worry, even when his favourite quill went missing. Cynder glanced at Terrador and Cyril, who showed equal signs of concern over Volteer's uncharacteristic display of such fear for Spyro.

"This is most troubling," Volteer said in a low and solemn voice.

"Volteer? Who was this dragon called? The light dragon's apprentice?" Terrador asked.

"Well nobody knows for certain, but the book affirms that his name… was _Mortem_."

Cyril and Terrador shared gasps.

"That's impossible, the light ancestor made it so," reassured Terrador, his eyes widening with every word.

"Not entirely," Volteer replied. "If Mortem truly has entered Spyro's mind, he may try to take control of his body… and who knows what will happen then?"

Cynder whimpered slightly before breaking down into a sob, burying her head into Spyro's neck. Terrador placed a supportive paw on her shoulder as she cried, her body trembling as she poured out emotion.

"Cynder… I'm so sorry…" Volteer said solemnly.

"Is there anything that can be done?" Cynder's muffled voice said. "Is there anything that can be done to save him?"

"Cynder…"

"Please Volteer… I'm begging you…" she croaked, raising her head from her husband's neck.

"There is only one being who knows how to exhume this darkness from his mind, but nobody has seen him in centuries."

"Who?! Who is it?!" Cynder pleaded, taking hold of the small strand of hope that she had.

"Cynder… it's not that straight forward"

"I don't care! If it's a chance to save Spyro's life, then I'm taking it and no one will stop me!"

Volteer looked at Terrador who nodded to him slowly. He gave a defeated sigh and began to explain.

"His name is the Chronicler, keeper of the age," Volteer explained.

"How do I find him?" Cynder asked in quick succession.

"You can't, and even if you did, you wouldn't have the necessary elements to enter his domain," Cyril interrupted, stamping his paw down on the ground, and with it, Cynder's last bit of hope.

"That, my dear Cyril, is not entirely accurate," Volteer said with a smirk as Cynder's face perked up once more. "Around the realms there are four elemental stones, one for earth, fire, ice and electricity. You must travel to the different places where we were imprisoned before Spyro extricated us: Dante's Freezer, Tall Plains, Munitions Forge, and Concurrent Skies."

Cynder shivered at that last location. It was where she spent most of her life in torment, hatching plots and killing for fun. She promised herself, and Spyro, that she would never return to that foul place again. But now that Spyro was practically on his deathbed, she knew that she had to break that promise.

"I understand it won't be pleasant for you Cynder," Volteer said to her, putting a reassuring paw on her shoulder. "But if you want to save Spyro, this is the only way."

"I understand, but… where do I go after I've gathered the stones?" Cynder asked him.

"Well, nobody knows for sure Cynder," Volteer explained as he made his way over towards the bookshelf. "During the Night of Eternal Darkness, Spyro made a venture to find the Chronicler. Unfortunately, we don't know where he went and… there's nothing in the books to give us any clue to where the Chronicler might be."

Cynder's face dropped as she looked down to her paws, before an idea made its way into her head, giving her hope once more.

"There is one book," Cynder said. "Only… It's very private to Spyro, but it's his diary."

Volteer pondered on Cynder's words for a few moments, rubbing his chin with a claw.

"Might be worth looking at it…" Volteer murmured. "Spyro's life depends on it after all."

Cynder nodded and raced out of the temple and back towards the house. She slammed the door open and ran upstairs to their bedroom, even more in a state than before Spyro became sick. She searched through the piles of parchments and books, searching for the diary. Searching next to the bed, she screwed up multiple pieces of paper and soon found the diary, slightly hidden underneath the bed. She grabbed it and rushed out of the door, returning back to the temple in a matter of minutes. She placed the diary on the table and began searching through it, trying to find the date of the Night of Eternal Darkness.

"Come on… come on… where is it?" Cynder asked herself as she kept searching. "Second of October, yes! This is it!"

"_2nd October,_

_I can't believe that horrible night was four years ago. I don't know what happened to me… it's all surreal. Everything was hazy and… I couldn't control myself. I couldn't think straight. Whatever happened when I fell in that well, something changed inside me. I felt rage, anger. Vengeful even. I can't remember much, but what I do remember is how… mercilessly I killed Gaul. Ancestors I… I destroyed him without a second thought. And Cynder… Sparx… they must've been so scared. What am I? What have I become? I can't think about it now. The Chronicler told me that I have to write my own story, live my own life. That is what I will do. I'll make Cynder happy, and if something goes wrong, I'll go back to the White Isle."_

"The White Isle!" Cynder gasped. "That's where he is!"

Volteer slapped himself in the face and shook his head at his own stupidity.

"Bother and confusticate my stupidity! Of course! The White Isle is the centre of power. If the Chronicler could be anywhere, he would be there."

Cynder let a small smile reach her maw. There was a chance for Spyro to be saved, and she knew she had to take it. Cynder closed Spyro's diary, picking it up as she stood up, before she began to walk towards the door, only to be stopped by the voice of Terrador.

"Cynder? Where are you going?" he asked her.

"I'm going to save my husband," Cynder said, her voice surging with determination.

"It's far too dangerous! You'll never make it!" Cyril cried, making Cynder boil with anger.

"I DON'T CARE! IF I DIE THEN SO BE IT. BUT I CANNOT STAND AROUND AND WATCH MY HUSBAND SUFFER AND DIE WHILE I DO NOTHING TO HELP HIM!" she screamed, making Cyril take a step back at her outburst, eyes wide with surprise.

With that, Cynder left the room and the guardians to their own thoughts. Only Spyro's heavy breathing filled the room with sound.

"There's no stopping her Cyril," Terrador said to him. "You should know that by now."

Cyril only growled in annoyance as he too left the room, leaving Terrador and Volteer alone.

"How can this be? Spyro hasn't shown any sign of this darkness until now. Why has it decided to show itself?" Terrador asked Volteer who was still reading.

"Like any other parasite, it needs to grow strength, feasting off of memories and other actions that a brain takes. It leads the host into a fraudulent sense of security, lowering their guard so it easier to take control of them. Spyro fell prey to such technique, and with a parasite such as this… there's no telling how long he has left until it completely controls him. All we can do is pray to the ancestors that Cynder locates the stones in time."

"Indeed," Terrador agreed before walking to the window. "May the ancestors look after you Cynder, may they look after… us all."

* * *

Cynder began a lonely and solemn walk back to her house, her eyes meeting others' as they gave her disapproving and fearful looks. She knew that word would've likely spread, even though Terrador threatened everybody not to say a word. Warfang was a big city with lots of people, rumours about Spyro were bound to spread. And with those rumours, would've come stories about Cynder. She used to be evil herself, so people might think she'd fallen into her old ways and brought Spyro with her. She hoped that was not the case, but she couldn't think of any other reason for people to be so fearful of her.

She felt terrible for ending the celebration wherever she went; the moons were high in the sky but the partying had only just begun. When she walked everyone around her went silent, stepping away to let her pass and looking at her with those fearful eyes of theirs. She knew that they were talking about her behind her back, which made her even more angry.

_Why did Mortem have to show up _on the damned celebration_?_ Cynder thought, cursing the evil entity that had possessed Spyro. _Why did Mortem have to possess _Spyro_ of all people? Why make _him_ suffer?_

She swallowed, heart aching as images of Spyro lying in the guardians' room unconscious swarmed back into her head. She hated seeing her mate this way. She wanted to see him free. She wanted to be with him. Cynder didn't want to leave, but Spyro would fall deep into Mortem's grasp if she _didn't_ go. There was no other way to help him. She was going out to save him, whether she would die from it or not.

Cynder got home and sighed, looking at the place she had been living in for the past decade since she and Spyro became mates. She knew she was not going to see it for a long time, and it made her extremely nervous. She'd hoped all her adventures would stop after Malefor, but it seemed that fate and darkness had other plans.

Sighing again, she walked up to her room, taking each step solemnly. She placed Spyro's diary on top of their bed before whipping her celebratory cloak off her body, not needing it for the journey ahead. Cynder walked to the cupboard and grabbed a satchel, placing some important resources in there before she looked at the necklace that Spyro had given to her on their anniversary. It was still fused together, the purple dragon curled around the black one in perfect harmony. How she longed for that sensation. She rubbed her paw against it and the necklace split in two, exactly how Spyro had shown her that night. Cynder clipped the purple side around her neck while putting the other into the satchel. Some red and green gems went in also, as did two vials of dragonroot in case she was kept awake fretting about Spyro's wellbeing. In went a compass and a map, before Spyro's diary finally followed. As much as Cynder didn't want to invade on Spyro's privacy, she needed something of him to remind her of who he _really_ is; not this monster that Mortem was turning him into.

Cynder closed the satchel, slinging it around her shoulder before she turned to walk out of the house, the weight of the bag feeling like a boulder against her shoulder blade. As she opened the door to leave, she couldn't help but look back at the house she was going to leave. So many sweet memories were engraved in the walls, it hurt so much that Spyro wasn't with her. She made her way down the streets and back towards the temple, knowing that she couldn't leave without saying goodbye. Cynder walked through the doors and into the guardian's chambers, seeing Spyro lying in the same position as he was when she left him. The black dragoness walked up to him and placed her satchel down next to the table, taking a firm grip onto his paw and tears welling up in her eyes.

"Just when I think we've passed all this… you go and… do something like this again, you daft bonehead," she chuckled, tears streaming down her face. "It's my turn to save you now. I won't fail you, I promise."

Cynder placed her paw onto Spyro's heart, her tears dropping onto his golden underbelly.

"I'm always here; stay strong… I love you…"

She picked up the black sided pendant and placed it carefully around Spyro's neck, giving it a tender kiss. She then cupped his head in her paw and lifted it up so she could meet his lips with hers. She pulled away and laid his head back down onto the soft pillow that supported it, before turning towards the doorway. She gave one final look at her husband before walking down the corridors and towards the exit.

Upon leaving the temple, she was greeted with her friends. Frisia, Inferno and Saiph stood at the door, worried expressions on their faces. The two girls still looked as beautiful as ever, and Inferno looked absolutely dashing in his armour. Cynder sighed sadly, lowering her gaze to her paws, not wanting to look them in the eyes.

"Cynder? How are you feeling?" Inferno asked softly. "Saiph told us what happened."

"How's Timber?" Cynder interrupted, avoiding the question with one of her own.

"He's fine," Saiph replied. "We took him to the infirmary to recover from his concussion and to get his teeth fixed, but he's doing a lot better. We told the nurses and healers that he got into a plain old bar fight. We didn't mention Spyro at all."

Cynder just nodded.

"Thanks," she murmured. "I still feel terrible for what happened."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault," Saiph said.

"Feels like it is. I don't know, I just feel like there was more I could've done to stop it," Cynder murmured.

To make it all worse another voice joined the conversation, and it wasn't one Cynder wanted to welcome right now.

"Ah, Cynder! I spent ages trying to figure out where you were. I had to ask so many people and only just got told you were heading here… Warfang's bigger than I remember, you know?" Sparx said loudly, flying into the house through the open door.

"Sparx, I am _not_ in the mood now," Cynder scolded.

"You're _never_ in the mood! What happened to the Cynder who came to the swamp a few days ago? The one who enjoyed joking around?"

"Now is _not _the time, Sparx. I don't _feel_ like joking around."

"Alright fine, I'll go find Spyro. After all, I figured I'd come visit him for the twentieth anniversary of freedom, considering we started the whole journey together."

"Spyro isn't here right now Sparx, go home."

"But…"

"Sparx, it might not be a good idea to continue talking," Frisia interrupted, causing Sparx to stop his playful rant. "A lot has happened since Spyro and Cynder got back and neither of them are in the best of places right now."

Sparx only just seemed to realise Cynder's heavy breathing as she tried to keep her temper under control, tears glistening in her eyes as she stared at her paws. Sparx swore under his breath.

"I… I'm sorry, Cynder," Sparx apologised softly. "Is… Is something wrong with Spyro?"

Cynder just nodded. She opened her mouth to reply but closed it, knowing that if she tried to explain it she'd break into tears again. Inferno seemed to pick this up as he began explaining what happened to Sparx. Sparx was absolutely shocked after hearing that Spyro had attacked Timber unprovoked.

"He didn't just attack him," Cynder added, feeling the need to explain Mortem to everyone. "He's being used. Possessed. A dark entity named Mortem has been living inside him for twenty-three years and only now he's starting to take control of him."

"Dark entity? For twenty-three years?" Sparx questioned. "You don't mean…?"

"Yes I do. The thing we saw in the Well of Souls… _that_ was Mortem, upon entering Spyro."

There was an uncomfortable silence between everyone. After a while Inferno broke the silence, noticing the satchel slung around Cynder's shoulder.

"Hey Cynder, what's the satchel for?" he asked her.

"I'm leaving," Cynder replied bluntly.

"What?! Why?!" Frisia questioned.

"Because I can save Spyro by going to the Chronicler in the White Isle."

"That dude again?" Sparx said.

Cynder's eyes suddenly darted onto him.

"What do you mean, 'again'?"

"Oh well… me and big ol' purple butt basically found the old codger and began to talk to him about our sad life stories, even read your book. Urh… that gave me shivers," Sparx explained, trying not to think about seeing Spyro's worst fear, or how frightened he was when he entered the Isle.

"Wait… so you've been to the Isle?" Cynder questioned him, hoping that she might have some inclination of where to go.

"Yeah."

Cynder just stared blankly at him, sparks of hope flying through her body. She needed to know how they got there and where to go, and Sparx had all the information.

"You think you can remember it all?" Cynder asked him, earning a scoff from Sparx.

"Hey, it's me we're talking about here. I remember everything," he boasting, Cynder giving him a look of disdain. "What?"

"Just tell me where I have to go and what I have to do before I tape your mouth shut," Cynder warned him, becoming slightly irritated.

"Well, I do have an easier way," Sparx said. "I could just come with you."

Cynder froze. She knew that having Sparx along to help her would really speed up time, but she knew that he had a family to take care of, and she didn't really want him in her ear all the time.

"No Sparx, you have family back at home, you need to take care of them."

"It's fine, Livvy's always telling me that she wants some mother-and-child bonding time so… I thought I'd actually listen to her this one time," Sparx shrugged, that same cheeky smile across his lips. "Also, I'm not gonna lie, I miss the thrill of an adventure. Not only that, but my brother is sick in bed and the only way to save him is to go see an old dragon so why _wouldn't _I go with you? It has my name written all over it."

"Sparx I can't allow you to go," Cynder told him, shaking her head. "It'll be far too dangerous."

"For you maybe, but when does anything that we do not have danger in it?" Sparx shrugged again, making the group smile at his determination and his ability to argue with Cynder.

Cynder didn't know what to say. He had a family, he was happy. He didn't need to go.

"Please Cynder," he pleaded her. "He's my brother too. I don't care how long it takes; I want to help my brother."

Cynder thought for a moment before giving in to his pleads. "Fine, you can come."

"Yes! Sparx is back baby!" he exclaimed, Cynder's patience growing thinner and thinner by the second.

"Sparx?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

The banter between the dragonfly and dragoness brought some soft chuckles out of Inferno, Frisia and Saiph.

"Well, we wish you two good luck on the trip," Inferno said.

"Hope it all goes well," Frisia added.

"Thanks," Cynder said with a smile. "Look after Spyro for me. For _us_."

"Will do, Cynder," Frisia replied.

Cynder then turned to Sparx, who smiled at her.

"Ready to go, Sparx?" Cynder asked.

"For Spyro, of course."

With that, Cynder spread her wings open wide, flying up into the night sky, Sparx following. There were a few shocked gasps from the crowd around as the wind from her heavy wing strokes blew throughout the streets.

Flying higher with Sparx by her side, she embraced a feeling of nostalgia as she embarked on yet another adventure, ready to save Spyro from the impending doom that Mortem would bring upon all of them. She looked at Sparx, her unlikely partner, and smiled, before continuing her way north and away from Warfang.

* * *

**There we have it! Another chapter done! Hope you guys enjoyed it. Man… this was hard to write, but we finally did it. Thanks to everyone who has read this so far, it means a bunch that a lot of you are enjoying it and reviewing. If you haven't reviewed, please don't be afraid to tell us what you're enjoying about it and how we could improve it. All criticism is appreciated.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this Mystic, SKda and Cheetah… Signing off ^_^ **


	12. CH10: Siblings Come Together

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. I'm sure many of you are simply jumping out of your seats waiting for me to get started after reading the last chapter. It was a very interesting one wasn't it? This one however will be rather… calming at some points, but worrying at others. Sorry for this chapter taking so long to come out, I took a bit of a break from writing as I needed to get stuff done. But I'm back now and ready to write. Before I begin, I want to thank everyone who has been consistent in reviewing our chapters!:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
****\- TARDIS  
****\- Dragon of Mystery  
****\- Jos vitor**

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favourited and followed our story. It means the world to me and my associates. Now then, without further ado...**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Siblings Come Together**

With the light of the moons bathing the ground in a sweet solstice shroud, the lands were engulfed in the watchful eye of nighttime. Only a few creatures stirred the sweet silence of the night, taking their chance to wander the earth, free from danger. Sounds of crickets and the rustle of leaves on the trees were heard, a brisk wind slicing through the air as the night continued.

Flying at a great altitude, Cynder looked down at the environment, her eyes scanning the forest beneath her as her pupils lit up with the light of the moons. She whimpered slightly as emotion filled her once more. Her heart broke at the seams everytime she thought of the purple dragon she loved. Cynder couldn't get the thought of him choking and suffering out of her head. She imagined him gasping for air on the table that he lay on, his scales slowly losing their colour. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she flew, trickling down her chin and then detaching themselves, falling to the ground below.

Slightly behind her, Sparx heard her soft sound of emotion, his little heart feeling pity for her. Although he was coping with it in his own way, his connection with Spyro was far different to that of Cynder's. He knew that their love for each other was powerful to say the least, and it was bringing Cynder close to breaking point. He could vaguely imagine what she was going through. Sparx knew that if Livvy was in Spyro's position, he of course would be upset and scared, but mostly angry too. The weird thing was though, Cynder wasn't showing any signs of anger, it was mostly sorrow and remorse. He flew forwards a little, opening his mouth to speak.

"Hey, Cynder?" he called out to her, making her quickly wipe the tears from her face. "You doing okay?"

"What do you think? You always say you're the smart one," she replied coldly.

"I just want you to know that… you're not alone here y'know?" Sparx said to her, now flying next to her. "Look, I don't know what you're going through and… to be honest I've never been one for serious conversations, but I can see that this is affecting you a lot so… I just want you to know that... I'm here."

Cynder was taken aback by his caring words. Sparx really had changed. It was as if he was an entirely different dragonfly now. He'd grown more mature, more aware of the world and creatures around him.

"T-Thank you Sparx…" Cynder said softly, earning a small smile from Sparx.

"Anytime Cynder, believe it or not, we're brother and sister now so… that technically makes us family," Sparx said with a smile.

Sparx and Cynder flew side by side. Although Cynder was worried about Spyro's welfare, she was happy that Sparx was with her. Not only was he with her in this venture, he was her brother-in-law, something which she never thought she'd have in her long years of life. Sparx's gaze moved down to the ground below. The two moons' rays were beaming down upon the landscape, slicing through the gaps in the trees and blasting down onto the grass, creating a bed of moonlight. He stared up to see the height of the moons, soon realising the time.

"Cynder? It's getting late, maybe we should look for a place to rest," Sparx called out to her, yawning a little.

"We can't waste any time Sparx," Cynder reminded him sternly. "Spyro doesn't have time for us to rest."

"If we keep going Cynder, you're gonna drop out of the sky and I don't really fancy trying to catch you," Sparx chuckled. "That's Spyro's job."

Cynder merely growled in annoyance before she too started to feel the impact of the day's events. Her eyelids began drooping and her muscles felt weak, screaming for her to rest.

"No, we… we have to keep going."

"Cynder, he's not going to die tomorrow or any other day for the next few thousand years," Sparx said, confident in his statement. "He'd want you to rest, wouldn't he?"

It surprised Cynder to the core how well Sparx knew Spyro. Indeed he was his brother, but Sparx seemed to know the cause to Spyro's every emotion. Cynder slowed her wingbeats and stopped pushing herself, allowing her muscles to be free from strain.

"Yes… yes he would," Cynder sighed in defeat, looking down at the ground in an attempt to hide her sorrow ridden eyes.

Heeding Sparx's words, she scanned the ground for a clearing that would be ideal for them to rest for the night. Her eyes darted from left to right, corner to corner, searching for a safe place to rest. Suddenly, she spotted a small clearing to the left, surrounded by trees and consisting of a small stream.

"Down there!" Cynder pointed. "Let's rest there."

"Sure thing."

Cynder and Sparx flew their way down to the clearing, looking around for any dangers. After checking their surroundings, Cynder began gathering firewood and laid it down next to a rock while Sparx went on the hunt for his own meal. She opened her maw and released a small cloud of shadow fire, setting the wood alight as dark-coloured embers began to form from the fire in front of her. As she brought her head back up, she spied Sparx gobbling multiple butterflies down, snatching each one out of the air greedily. She rolled her eyes and wandered off in search of her own food, soon spotting a deer that was nibbling at a bed of grass.

Cynder brought herself low, knowing that any sound would scare it off. She hid herself in some tall grass, getting ever closer to her prey. As it raised its head to check her surroundings, Cynder darted from her hiding place and snapped her jaws around the poor deer's neck, soon snapping it with a sudden jolt of her head. She released her jaws from the deer's throat, letting it fall onto the ground, blood spilling out of the wound that Cynder had inflicted. She looked down at the lifeless creature before her, refusing to let any negative thoughts enter her mind. After the vision that she had experienced a few days ago, she closed her mind to her fears, blocking out her past and showing respect for the animal she had killed. Cynder placed the deer onto her back and made her way back to the campfire where Sparx was still gobbling down butterflies. After seeing the size and state of Cynder's catch, Sparx placed a hand over his mouth, trying not to throw up.

"Ewww! How can you eat that?! It's got blood all over it!" Sparx asked in a disgusted tone, holding back violent retches.

"How about you stick to your food, and I'll stick to mine," Cynder replied coolly, getting slightly annoyed.

Cynder turned the deer over and slashed its belly, letting its entrails and organs spill out of it. Upon seeing this, Sparx flew behind a tree, retching and spluttering in disgust. Cynder merely shook her head and chuckled a little before removing the organs from the deer. After that, Cynder dipped her paws into the stream, her muscles tensing at the cold temperature of the water. She watched the blood wash off of her paws and slowly disappear as the water consumed it. The black dragoness made her way back over to her now disemboweled prey, and began eating. After she had devoured every last morsel, Sparx came back looking rather pale and sick, holding his stomach and groaning.

"Everything okay?" Cynder asked him with a chuckle.

"Yep… urh… I'm good…" Sparx replied, trying to speak between groans.

"Good because I need you to tell me how to get to the White Isle when your stomach stops playing up," Cynder reminded him, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah… whatever… urh… you say…"

After a spell of vomiting, Sparx made his way back over to the campfire and flew opposite Cynder. She sat herself down and waited for Sparx to begin.

"Well… there's not really much I can say to get there, but I know that you have to go past a few places and then ride some… giant tortoise thing to get to the Isle," Sparx explained, rubbing his chin as he tried to recollect the events during the Night of Eternal Darkness.

"Sparx, that really doesn't help," Cynder replied, putting her face in a paw. "Do you at least know where this… 'giant tortoise' thing is?"

"No, not really. I mean, Spyro just fell straight out of the sky and into the ocean. He kinda... picked us up from there."

Cynder growled in annoyance and punched the ground.

"Oh sure, _that_ helps," she growled sarcastically. "Now we have to find some cryptic magic turtle, and you don't even know _where_ the hell it is!"

"It's a tortoise actually," Sparx corrected.

"Does it look like I care?! I'm trying to save your brother, and you're not being much of a help to me!" Cynder accused.

"I'm _trying_, okay?!" Sparx snapped back.

"Well try harder, because I have enough detours I have to make already without your irritating attitude getting in the way."

"Detours? What do you mean detours?" Sparx said, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

"Well I can't actually get _into_ the White Isle because I don't have the basic elements. So, I have to find a bunch of damn stones all over the place just to get in, and who _knows_ what the Chronicler has to say?!"

"Do you know how long it'll take to get to these stones?" Sparx asked.

"No. No clue at _all_," Cynder said with a monotone voice.

Sparx just groaned, not wanting to have to go on any more detours than he had to, but it looked like Cynder was in the same boat as him. Plus, it was for Spyro. He was in big trouble if they didn't try.

"Yeah, well… I guess it's for the best we take those detours. We don't want to end up at the White Isle only to have to go back and get all the stones," Sparx murmured. "Do you know where they are?"

"Yes, luckily. We're en route to Dante's Freezer at the moment."

"Oh great, that frozen wasteland," Sparx groaned sarcastically.

"Stop complaining!" Cynder snapped, before taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "Please. I know you like to complain and make jokes but I'm stressing enough about Spyro as it is. I don't want to have to deal with your shit."

"Fine. Ancestors, Cynder, I'm sorry," Sparx murmured, before turning his back on her.

Cynder just sighed. The two stood in silence for a while, neither able to find the courage to talk. Many more words were on their tongues, but neither of them wanted to speak. After long last, Sparx finally spoke.

"We should probably go to sleep now. Especially you, Cynder. You already seem tired enough as it is," Sparx suggested.

"I don't have time for sleep, we need to get to Dante's Freezer as soon as possible. Spyro's life is in danger and I'm not gonna waste any time," Cynder protested.

"And you're not going to get there any quicker if you drop out of the sky because of your lack of sleep. I don't fancy catching you if you do," Sparx explained, turning around again to look at Cynder with a smile. "This is for Spyro, right? I'm sure he'd want you to be asleep by now. I know he always liked his sleep and always tried to get me to get my own. Usually because I wouldn't shut up."

Cynder chuckled a little before replying.

"Yeah, he would try and force me to bed quite a lot because I always stayed up so late," she recalled, smiling at the memory. "Anyway, I guess you're right Sparx. It would be better off to sleep."

With that, Cynder lay down beside the fire. Sparx sat himself down on a small rock a few metres away from Cynder. They remained in silence before Cynder spoke again.

"You know Sparx, you've gotten a lot more mature since the Sparx I remember. You would've never given that advice back during the war," she said.

"Yeah, because I was too scared and childish to know any better. Plus, I'm old now, and I have kids; with kids comes responsibility. I guess I've grown a lot because of that. You and Spyro will too when you get around to it, I'm pretty sure of that much. Anyway, we should probably head to sleep now. Goodnight, Cynder," Sparx said.

"Goodnight, Sparx."

As Sparx laid himself down upon a bed of leaves, Cynder laid her head onto her paws and began to think of Spyro. Her thoughts were filled with sweet memories of the Spyro she knew, caring and compassionate. The Spyro that went to great lengths to impress her, but instead running into a lamppost or falling down a ditch. Five words were constantly running through her mind as she tried to sleep. They were the words that meant the most to her, the words that bound them together.

Till the day I die.

Cynder raised her head up to the sky, staring at the stars twinkling above her.

"Keep fighting my purple one," she whispered. "I won't let you down, I promise. _Si itov wux, sia Spyro_."

Cynder laid her head down on her paws and closed her eyes, soon falling into a peaceful slumber. Amidst her dreams, Cynder always thought of Spyro, and the determination to save her loved one, was growing even more powerful.

* * *

The next morning, Cynder woke early, already digging into her breakfast she had caught. Opposite her, Sparx was snoring wildly, his little wings fluttering with each breath in. Cynder rolled her eyes and an idea formed in her mind. She stared at his sleeping form with menacing intent, trying not to chuckle at the thought of his reaction. Suddenly, she took a deep breath in and roared like thunder, making Sparx scream and her roar to echo through the forest, making birds fly away from the terrifying noise. Cynder burst out laughing while Sparx frantically checked his surroundings, thinking that another creature was attacking them. His little face turned red, and a distinct look of anger filled his expression.

"WHAT THE HELL CYNDER?!" he shouted. "YOU SCARED ME TO DEATH!"

"Good morning Sparx," she smirked, trying to stifle her giggles. "What's wrong? Get out on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

Sparx merely grumbled with annoyance, folding his arms and giving her a look of complete irritation.

"Yeah, good morning my tail section," Sparx mumbled, trying to slow his little heart down as Cynder continued to laugh.

Sparx flew off in search for breakfast, keeping his arms firmly crossed and maintaining his look of annoyance. As he left, Cynder shook her head and continued laughing to herself, throwing the bones of her catch into the stream next to her. A few moments later however, Sparx returned with a multitude of butterflies, greedily gobbling them down as Cynder stared.

"Don't you ever eat anything different?" Cynder asked him, raising an eyebrow and disgusted at Sparx's eating habits.

"Nope," he replied, throwing another into his mouth. "I prefer to eat something without any fat. Come to think of it, no wonder Spyro got so fat. I kept telling him to eat that salad."

"For the record Sparx, Spyro isn't fat. It's muscle," Cynder said, earning a disgusted look from Sparx.

"Yeah, and all that muscle makes you look fat," Sparx replied. "But of course you would say that, you probably haven't been able to keep your paws off Spyro since you two ended up together."

"And how would you know that?" Cynder questioned him, slightly blushing and annoyed at his previous remark.

"Just an instinct," Sparx shrugged, hiding a smirk, smug that he had got his revenge.

Cynder gave him a small death stare before smirking herself.

"Well… at least I still think about timing with kids," Cynder grinned. "Bet you _threw _yourself at her."

Sparx just spluttered. For once he was rendered speechless, unable to counteract Cynder's comeback. The large dragoness just burst into laughter before she spread her wings, leaping into the air as her laughter became carried away with distance.

"Hey!" Sparx shouted. "You don't get to say something like that and leave me here! Get back here!"

Sparx quickly flew in pursuit, catching up to Cynder. She was still chuckling, and Sparx just grumbled, shaking his head.

"I can't believe you, Cynder," Sparx murmured as he lay down on Cynder's forehead.

"Neither can I, Sparx. At least I don't eat butterflies every meal of every day, you picky little bug," Cynder chuckled. "Seriously, don't you get bored of that?"

"No, why would I? Butterflies are the best food ever. Don't know why you won't try some."

"They're too small to even fill a hatchling's stomach let alone a fully grown dragon, Sparx. Plus isn't it cannibalism? Dragonflies and butterflies are both bugs right?"

Sparx suddenly went silent. Cynder just chuckled at the fact that he was finally speechless for once.

"Gotcha there, didn't I?" Cynder said slyly.

"You know what, Cynder? Just shut up."

"Sparx telling _me_ to shut up? That's a first," Cynder chuckled. "And hypocritical to say the least."

Sparx groaned, knowing Cynder had won this argument. He would get her back next time; he just needed to be a lot smarter with how he approached it.

Flying side by side, Cynder and Sparx continued their course towards Dante's Freezer. They flew for a good few minutes in silence, enjoying the flight and fresh air breezing into their faces. Cynder's thoughts tracked back again to Spyro, but also to wonder what he was like when he began his adventure, and left the swamp.

"Hey Sparx?"

"That's my name," Sparx replied, a playful smirk reaching his face.

"Very funny," Cynder mumbled, rolling her eyes. "I just wanted to ask, what was Spyro like when he left the swamp?"

Sparx just chuckled, memories filling his head.

"Well, he was… kind of like he is now: selfless, caring, only wanting to see the best out of everyone. But he was more innocent back then. We lived a peaceful life and he was honestly very sheltered. We both were. My teasing was the most amount of grief he got," Sparx recalled, his voice low as he thought back on childhood memories. "He was determined to find out who his family was, and that kind of threw him into this whole thing. When we met Ignitus, everything got a lot more grim and honestly I feared for our wellbeing if we went with that old fogie. He was depressed, had lost all hope, and was just… spiritually gone. I was ready to leave him just to save our own hides but Spyro… Spyro stayed. He stayed for Ignitus and learned to fight. He'd only just learned he was a dragon, and was only _twelve_, still a mere child, and he volunteered willingly to fight in the war. He hid his emotion very well, but I knew he was hurting. I didn't know how to deal with it. So I just continued to joke around and be… you know, me. Looking back I could've provided a bit more support, but what's done is done. He was a great kid though, and he's grown a lot from the little dragon that I knew in the swamp."

"Having to face me and the apes would've been the reason for that," Cynder murmured. "I kinda feel bad now."

"Don't be. He's grown because of that, and he's even more selfless and caring. He loves everyone, especially you, Cynder," Sparx replied, pausing slightly before adding, "Did he ever tell you about the whole Mortem thing?"

"No he didn't."

Sparx scoffed, chuckling a little in the process.

"Classic Spyro… Hiding secrets and his own hurt so people don't have to worry. He really doesn't care enough for himself. He's very focused on others."

"I agree. He's had many outbursts over the past few days, complaining that it wasn't fair and asking why him… _screaming_ it... Ancestors, it hurt me to see him finally having to think so much about himself in such a painful way," Cynder said. "I can't wait to free him from Mortem."

Sparx murmured in agreement. He stayed silent for a moment before he spoke with hesitance, choosing his words carefully, knowing she could snap on him if he was unwise with his words.

"Hey Cynder… You… don't have to answer if you don't want to, but… what was your childhood like? I mean, you've probably told Spyro and… I don't really know you that well. I'm your brother-in-law so I guess I just… want to get to know you better. Especially after all the crap I used to say about you."

Cynder was caught off-guard by the question, but after taking a deep, shaky breath in, she responded.

"Well… there's not really much to say apart from… it was torture. I was buried deep inside of a form that murdered, slaughtered, destroyed," Cynder recalled, her voice shaky and filled with emotion. "I didn't know anything else that the world had to offer apart from blood, entrails and… severed heads. I was shunted by my ranks, held prisoner inside of a… tormenting scaley prison. I never knew what the world felt like, what the air would feel like against my face or… the feel of the grass beneath my paws. And I never really cared what it felt like. All I cared about was blood, the feel of breaking bones under my paws… the sound of screams. I can never get them out of my head, even to this day… They were the most terror-stricken screams I have ever heard, especially those of children that watched their parents murdered… that watched their siblings and friends murdered… that then were murdered themselves…"

Cynder's breath hitched as she tried to hold back her emotion. She felt Sparx stroking her forehead gently in a calming, loving fashion.

"When Spyro saved me… it was the best thing ever," she continued slowly. "I was free. The world was opened up to me. I could feel happiness, I could feel the grass under my paws and the wind against my face and wings when I flew… I heard laughter for the first time. Of course it wasn't often because it was in the middle of a war but we were all still kids, especially you and Spyro. You two still had some innocence about you. You could still make jokes. You could still laugh. I remember it took me ages until my first genuine laugh, but just hearing you and Spyro laugh at the stupidest of jokes was music to my ears. I'd never heard something as beautiful as laughter in my life."

Sparx remained silent for a while as he took all this information in. He just lay on Cynder's forehead, stroking it softly and trying to support her in the best way he could. Sparx felt a weird feeling in his stomach. After all, he was supporting Cynder for probably the first time ever. He'd always make fun of her and discriminate her for her past actions, but he knew she was not like that. The Terror of the Skies was long gone. But that name… that creature… it still had a prominent effect on her, and all the psychological effects it had put on her were worse than he had thought. He'd always thought she was dry and emotionless, but it wasn't because that was her nature. It was because she didn't know how to feel emotion or how to show it. His whole viewpoint on Cynder back during the war changed, and he felt terrible for all the things he said about her.

"Damn, Cynder. I just… I don't know what to say except sorry. I'm terribly sorry," Sparx apologised. "I said some pretty terrible things back then."

"You didn't know," Cynder replied. "It's all fine, don't worry about it. It's in the past."

Sparx just smiled at her words and flew next to her as she started raising her velocity again. A new idea formed in her head as she was flying, wanting to change the melancholy tone surrounding them.

"Sparx?"

"Yes?"

"How would you feel about going supersonic speed?" Cynder asked him with a smirk, causing a perplexed look to form on his face.

"What do you meeeAAAANNNN?!"

Cynder's speed suddenly changed to one of incredible velocity, speeding through the clouds and rocketing through the air as her wings cut through the sound barrier. Sparx held on for dear life, screaming wildly as Cynder flew faster.

"Having fun yet?!" Cynder laughed, talking over Sparx's screams.

"I HATE YOU!"

"Sounds like a lot of fun to me! We'll be at Dante's Freezer very soon by the looks of it!"

"CAN YOU JUST SLOW DOWN JUST A TINY BIT?!"

Cynder continued flying at top speed for a few more seconds, letting Sparx scream for a little longer, before she slowed down to a normal speed, giggling. Sparx lay on top of her head, holding onto her scales for dear life as he breathed heavily, trying to calm his beating heart down.

"Cynder…" he breathed in between heavy puffs. "Don't ever do that again."

"Oh, I might just have to do that again at some point," Cynder teased.

"Don't you _dare_," Sparx threatened.

"Or what?"

"I'll fly up your nose and rub mushroom powder in it, just like what Livvy did to Spyro," Sparx threatened. "Or… whatever substitute for mushroom powder we have."

Cynder just started chuckling again at the empty threat, before Sparx started laughing too. When they calmed themselves down, they suddenly noticed that the ground was starting to get white underneath them. A large sheet of ice was presented before them, glowing a bright, blinding white in the rays of the vibrant sun. It stretched on for miles, almost like it reached the end of the world.

"Well, what do you know? We're here," Cynder said. "Looks like going fast helped us a lot."

"Shut up."

Upon seeing her goal before her, Cynder slowed her wingbeats and landed, noticing the large icy mountain range that her ape forces had taken over all those years ago. As they got closer, they could see the fortress, and both were shocked to see that the fortress was still pretty intact, even after twenty-three years. Cynder shivered a little at the cold, realising that she didn't do as well in the cold as she remembered. Then again, she never actually ventured all the way here apart from when she imprisoned Volteer..

"I remember this place. This was the first long trip I'd ever taken and man, it was actually pretty scary," Sparx said. "All these big scary ice cubes with eyes and stuff, and all the big apes… that really was something."

"Now is not the time to reminisce, Sparx. We've got a job to do now that we're here, and that's finding the Ice Stone," Cynder scolded.

"Yeah, sure. Just one last thing though. Getting here was the first time Spyro ever flew, and he didn't know how to actually land properly, so he did the best crash-landing I've ever seen. _Smack_ into the snow!" Sparx chuckled.

Cynder gave a small giggle, imagining her mate slamming face-first into the snow upon his first time trying to fly. After she finished laughing, she stepped forward towards the empty fortress, ready for any attacking enemies.

They kept their guard up, Cynder keeping careful watch of her surroundings and her muscles ready to spring into action. Sparx flew behind her, holding his tiny little fists up in a defensive position, swivelling his torso around to look at his surroundings, much like Cynder in front of him. The silence put them both on edge, unnerving them as they expected something to ambush or sneak up on them.

Cynder and Sparx entered the fortress. Nothing. No trolls hiding inside ice cubes, no apes, no ogres… it was just empty. Black scorch marks still stained the wooden and cobblestone architecture of the fortress where explosions had rocked the ground, as well as what could have also been Spyro's fire element. Any scorch marks in the ground had been covered with new layers of snow.

The wind began to pick up, throwing particles of snow into the air. Cynder squinted her eyes to protect them from the incoming snowflakes, and Sparx put his hands over his face. They continued moving on, exploring the fortress for a little longer, before Cynder stopped with a groan.

"There's nothing here. Not even any enemies to try and show that there's at least something here. No sign of dark magic or relics from when the war was going on. This place is just empty," Cynder complained. "I don't like it, not just because of the environment but because we can't find this stupid stone!"

"What if it's in the cave?" Sparx suggested.

"The cave?"

"Yeah, the one Spyro and I found Volteer in."

"You could be right. Let's head over there."

Cynder and Sparx made their way around to the far outer border of the fortress before they found the entrance to the cave that Spyro and Sparx had once taken. It was tiny; it only just made it up to Cynder's elbow. She scoffed.

"To think us dragons used to be that small… what do we do now?" Cynder asked.

"I guess we find another way around, I guess… I don't remember there being one though," Sparx replied.

"Surely there _was_ one… I had to get myself _and_ Volteer in there at some point. I was this size back then too…"

"Yeah you were, but you were scarier then, too," Sparx said.

"Fair point. Now, we need to find this damned entrance to the cave…" Cynder groaned.

They walked around the area, knowing that the entrance wouldn't be too far away. They spent a good couple minutes walking around in search of a way in. Cynder got more and more frustrated by the minute, knowing that every second she wasted was another second that Spyro suffered. She couldn't afford to be wasting any more time.

The frustration eventually got so much for her that she rushed forward and punched the wall of the fortress, causing a loud resounding crack to fill the air. As she lowered her fist, she saw a heavy crack in the fortress wall, and behind it was nothing but darkness. Cynder punched the wall again, followed by a third time. On this third time, she punched a massive hole in the wall. She peered through the hole and saw a long icy cave entrance that became engulfed in darkness.

"Well, I guess you found it, Cynder," Sparx chuckled nervously.

"Just a piece of luck. Come on," Cynder said.

With that, Cynder walked straight into the cave, Sparx following, lighting up the dark cave with a bright golden light as he flew beside Cynder. They walked down the large corridor before it opened up into a massive open room, a large sheet of heavy ice and snow on the ground. Cynder paused, gasping in awe at it, before walking forward and onto it.

She looked around before she saw a thick raised platform jutting out of a wall, separating itself from the ground with a large chasm below it. She remembered that this was where Volteer had once been chained up. She quickly flew over to it, looking around. It was still fairly large and spacious, and when Cynder looked behind her at the wall, she noticed there was a faint object inside the ice walls. It looked like a stone.

Cynder began clawing gently at the ice, scraping and digging her way into the ice wall. She threw small shards of ice behind her before reaching the stone. It was a pure cyan colour, pulsating with light and inscribed with an ancient symbol.

"_Xarzith,_" Cynder said to herself.

"Beg your pardon?" Sparx interrupted.

"It's what the symbol means. It's draconic for Ice and was also the name of the first Ice guardian," Cynder explained, trying to release it from the ice keeping it secure.

"Oh, well… that seems to make sense."

Cynder managed to get a claw behind the edge of the stone, pulling at its edge as it began to come loose. She gave one more pull and it fell into her paw, glowing ever brighter. As soon as the stone fell into her grasp, Cynder inspected it properly. It indeed was a bright cyan colour but it was almost white with how bright it was. Sparx sat on Cynder's head once more, staring deeply at the stone.

"It's beautiful," Sparx said.

"Yeah but we aren't just here to look at it," Cynder reminded him, already making her way to the exit. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Suddenly, the cave began to shake violently, flecks of ice and snow proceeding to fall all around them, making them feel a sense of uneasiness.

"What's happening?!" Sparx shouted over the rumbles of the cave.

"WE NEED TO GO! NOW!"

At once, Cynder and Sparx turned, rushing for the exit desperately as they realised the ice beneath them was beginning to break away, large cracks appearing in the cold surface. Large fissures and ditches began to form, deep and menacing. Cynder's pace quickened until her paw fell into one of ditches, causing her to trip and fall flat on her chest. She pulled herself up as quickly as she could before she continued her mad sprint towards the exit. The ice then gave way, causing her to fall straight down, tumbling down the cavern below. She spread her wings to try and hover and lower her increasing velocity, all while dodging shards of ice that plummeted down from the ceiling, raining a cold hellfire around her. She looked over to Sparx, and he too was trying to dodge the large chunks of ice.

There was a large cracking sound from above them as more ice gave way, sending even more ice raining down on them. Sparx looked up at the sound, before letting out a scream as he saw a massive ball of ice come hurtling down towards him. His scream was cut off as he was clobbered in the face by it, sending him into unconsciousness. The dragonfly plummeted into the cavern below, the golden light plummeting further and further as he fell.

"SPARX!" Cynder yelled.

Upon watching Sparx fall, Cynder lost focus, recieving a blow to the back of the head as unconsciousness filled her body. Cynder plummeted into the darkness below, unable to move or react. She fell further and further, the force of her fall gushing against her expressionless face.

The black Dragoness… awaited her demise...

* * *

**Ooooo, what's going to happen to Cynder? Will she live or will she die? And what's happened to Sparx? You'll have to see until the next chapter. Yet again, I apologise for taking so long to upload this. School and life has been hectic lately with my mum's proposal and everything. But I'm back now so we can get more chapters out. Thank you all for your continued support and great reviews. It means so much to us that you guys are reading our works.**

**I hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… Signing off _**


	13. CH11: A Binding of Earth and Sky

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. Still I'm getting surprised from the amount of support and praise that this story is getting. I cannot thank each and every one of you enough for taking the time to read our story. It means a great deal. Thanks to all of you who are reviewing frequently!:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- TARDIS  
\- Atlas FF (Thanks for pointing out that Sparx was a cannibal haha!)**

**Sorry about the late chapter upload again. Things again have been very busy but I'll try and get more and more done for you over the next few weeks. Thanks you to all of you who are still reading. Don't be afraid to leave your thoughts and praise in a review. I would love to hear what you think and any improvements to the story we could make. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter and without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 11: A Binding of Earth and Sky**

Rays of the sun blasted through the infirmary windows, bathing the walls and the pearl floor in a bed of golden light. Shadows of the bars on the windows were plastered on the back wall, stopping the light from engulfing the entire room. All was silent, apart from the deep and peaceful breaths of a certain earth dragon.

Timber slept silently, watched over by the worried form of Saiph. Not wanting to leave him as he recovered from the injuries that Spyro had inflicted the day before, she had stayed by his side all night after bidding Cynder farewell, keeping a careful eye on him. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, the light of the sun making his underbelly shine brightly. Although his wounds had improved during the night, Timber was still not fully healed and Saiph hated seeing him in this state. She did not blame Spyro for his uncharacteristic violent actions, but she couldn't stand to leave Timber knowing that he was alone in the infirmary.

Saiph remembered that upon delivering Timber to the infirmary, he had passed out almost immediately, still feeling the effects of his concussion. His bloodied face had been cleaned up quickly; the bleeding in his nose had stopped but they had to apply some red gems to his mouth to heal the inner damage that had been done from his teeth being knocked around inside it. The swelling in his eye had died down too, but it was still dark and very bruised.

Spyro had inflicted a great deal of damage upon the earth dragon, and Saiph knew that even though Spyro wasn't in control of himself, it was his own strength that had forced the blows to Timber. She already knew the power that Spyro possessed, but never had she seen it this aggressive. Although she doubted that Spyro would ever attack anyone out of pure anger if he was in control of himself, she still couldn't help but feel anxious as to what damage he could do at his full power.

The purple dragon came to the front of her mind as worry sprouted inside of it. This type of anger from Spyro was unnatural, and it scared her. She knew it was from this 'Mortem' creature that Cynder had briefly explained last night, but it still terrified her. She knew that as long as Spyro was under the effect of Mortem, he would not truly be himself. But as long as he remained the same physical form, Saiph didn't think she'd be able to see anyone but Spyro committing these things. When the attack initially happened, Saiph had actually thought that Spyro _was_ throwing punches at Timber. After an extra look though, she came to the same conclusion as Timber that it wasn't Spyro's fault, but she couldn't help but feel very conflicted about it all.

Saiph's attention was brought back to Timber as a shuddering breath escaped his lungs as his eyes fluttered open. She brought a paw to his shoulder, stroking it comfortingly, afraid he'd had a nightmare with the forceful exhale he'd just let out.

"Are you alright, Timber?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I-I-I'm fine," Timber groaned. "Just woke up and felt… a lot of pain. I guess my body's only just registering the beating it got. _Damn_, Spyro can hit _hard_."

Saiph just sighed. She hated seeing him in so much pain.

"Do you need anything, Timber?" she asked. "Do you need a healer? Do you need-?"

"No, I'm fine. I've got everything I need… right here," Timber said soothingly, raising a paw and stroking her cheek. "You worry too much, you know that?"

"I know…"

"It's alright. I don't blame you. Guess I forgot how much better Spyro got since our last sparring match," Timber said, holding back a chuckle. "But I wouldn't have you any other way, you know that right?"

"Of course I do," Saiph cooed, bringing him in for a kiss and meeting his lips with hers.

After what seemed like hours, the two dragons parted lips and stared into each other's eyes with pure love, taking in each feature of each other's faces. Even though Timber was blemished with scars and bruises, he still looked as handsome as the day they fell in love. Saiph just chuckled, holding back tears.

"You remember how we met?" Saiph asked a beaming Timber.

"Ah yes," Timber nodded, his eyes glazing with memory. "I remember. I saw you out of the corner of my eye as Father took me into the guardian chamber for the first time."

"You looked so strong standing next to your Father," Saiph replied, stroking his cheek. "It was so cute how you tried to mimic him."

Saiph and Timber laughed in unison, talking for what seemed like hours about growing up as children.

"Now here is a question," Saiph said suddenly. "Remember our first date?"

"How could I forget?" teased Timber, placing a claw on his chin. "You looked so beautiful that night, especially when you were walking ahead of me."

"Naughty!" Saiph exclaimed, giving a small but tender slap on the side of his face, making him chuckle.

"It was so sweet the way that you sang along with the songs being performed at the theatre," Timber replied truthfully, eyes sparkling lovingly.

Saiph blushed and smiled nervously.

"You know I can't sing that well Timber," Saiph mumbled, trying to hide her blush.

"Yes you can, I've heard you," Timber replied, taking her paw in his. "You've got a beautiful voice."

Saiph's blush became even brighter as she let out a little giggle.

"I really don't think I'm that good, but if you think so, then… I… _guess_ I'm alright?" she murmured.

"You'll come around to see your talent in singing someday, Saiph," Timber chuckled. "You really are an amazing singer. You've nailed every note I've heard you sing."

She just let out another giggle, before nuzzling Timber. Even her laugh sounded like music. Timber sighed as Saiph nuzzled him, before she lifted her head, moving it over and resting it on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat under her head, as well as his chest expanding and contracting with every breath he took.

Without warning, Saiph began humming a soft, beautiful melody. She didn't know why, but she just felt the need to do it. Timber just lay there on the bed, taking in every beautiful note. Saiph's voice was like one of an angel's: soft, soothing, carefree and airy. She sang for about a minute, before stopping as the blush flared up once more in her cheeks. Timber wanted her to keep singing, but he knew that this was all he was going to get from her. It was beautiful, every note she sang, the melody flowing like water in a stream, each note intertwining into the next beautifully.

Timber just stared at her, speechless. They'd been dating for a couple years and he still fell in love with her every time he saw her. Then, a sudden realisation hit him, smacking against the inside of his brain as he gasped. He knew how much he loved Saiph, and how much he wanted to spend every day with her. He wanted to take the next step. His heart began to pound against his chest and his mouth went dry. Timber looked up at Saiph and opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped by the sharp sound of the ward door flying open.

"Hey Sapphire," Saiph greeted the blue-scaled dragon as she walked in with a warm smile.

"Hello Saiph," she replied before turning towards Timber. "How are you feeling today Timber?"

"Much better thanks," Timber nodded, a goofy grin forming on his maw.

"Well, by the looks of things, your wounds have healed really well," Sapphire explained, lifting up one of his bandages and looking at his bruised eye in detail. "If I'm right, you should be able to leave this evening. What I would suggest is you get some rest for now. The worst idea is to force yourself out of bed and make yourself feel worse."

"Okay, thank you Sapphire," Timber nodded.

"Just doing my job," Sapphire replied with a grin before making her way out of the infirmary.

Timber watched her leave and made himself comfortable on the bed, thoughts of the future racing through his head. He couldn't stop the compelling urge to ask Saiph, tensing his muscles and sweating a tad. Looking up at Saiph, Timber heard Sapphire mention his father's name from outside of the door, making him sit himself up.

"Looks like your dad's here," Saiph said to him. "I'll give you two some space."

"Wait, Saiph?"

"Yeah?"

"You wanna go out for dinner tonight?"

Saiph gave him a sweet smile as he said these words, growing a little excited at the evening they were going to spend together.

"I'd love to," Saiph replied with a grin. "Meet you outside our usual place?"

"Sure."

Saiph and Timber shared a passionate kiss before she turned to make her way out of the room. She paused to say a quick hello to Terrador as he appeared in the doorway, before she walked off down the hall. Timber moved his gaze over towards his father, who remained still for but a moment. He began walking towards his son, each step seeming as if it thundered against the walls. He had a stern look on his face, becoming more and more prominent as he drew closer towards Timber. Upon reaching his bed, Terrador gave his son a smile and a quick pat on the shoulder.

"How are you feeling, boy?" Terrador asked, his deep voice echoing around the ward.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks, Father," TImber replied.

Father and son shared glances and smiles; Terrador relieved that his son was recovering so quickly.

"How are your wounds? They look much better from last night."

"Yeah, they're much better," Timber nodded, moving his arm around. "Sapphire does a really good job."

"Yeah, she does."

Thoughts about Saiph suddenly entered Timber's mind yet again. He needed to know what his father would think about him taking the next step and becoming a husband.

"Hey Father, can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

"Very funny, but… what did you do when you asked Mother to be your wife?"

Terrador was aback slightly. Memories of his wife filled his mind, glazing over his eyes and making him tense a little.

"Well… I… um… I did what any dragon would do. Went on a flight, took her out to dinner… and well… after our flight we got up on the hill and I told her I loved her and asked her then. We had been together for quite a while and I knew what I wanted, and so did your mother for that fact. But you know when you're ready," Terrador explained, wiping a tear that had formed in his eye. "Why do you ask?"

"Well…"

Timber stopped and looked at the wall, his confidence was suddenly dropped and he lost all urges to tell his father.

"Boy? You know I don't like secrets," Terrador reminded him with an eyebrow raised, a stern look in his eye.

"Well… Saiph and I have been together for a while…" Timber stammered, fiddling with his claws.

"Yes?"

"And… I think the time has come for us to take the next step and… become… s-s-soulmates."

Terrador stared at him for a few seconds, Timber's words replaying through his mind. Timber sat on his haunches, waiting for his father to reply. He began to sweat and was scared that he wouldn't allow it. Within a few moments, Terrador's stern look turned to a proud and happy one as he embraced his son.

"My, how you've grown Timber!" he chuckled. "I knew this was coming a mile away. You and Saiph are always together."

"Wait, so… you're allowing this?!" Timber asked, growing excited.

"Of course!"

Timber yelled in triumph and threw himself at his father, wrapping his paws around him and yelling 'thank you' over and over again.

"So… what do I do? How do I do this? Come on, you're the expert!" Timber questioned, making Terrador chuckle.

"Calm yourself, this isn't easy," Terrador reminded him. "The best thing to do is take her out. Take her somewhere nice where you have already been, or somewhere that is special to her. Get to a quiet place, somewhere you won't be disturbed. Then bow your head and ask her. The asking is the hard part, every part of your mind will be wanting to back out of it. But you have to be stronger. If you really love each other, then this is the right thing to do."

"I understand."

"Good, well I better be getting back to the temple," Terrador said with a smile, patting his son on the head before turning and leaving Timber to his thoughts.

Soon he arrived at the temple, and upon walking inside he knew something was off. Right outside the guardian chamber was Cyril and Volteer, talking to Frisia and Inferno. Cyril was struggling to stand up, eyes drooping low and stomach heaving as if he was about to throw up. His gaze was unfocused and he swayed to and fro. Cyril was clearly hungover, which meant he'd been drinking last night. The conversation they were involved in wasn't a calm one either. Frisia had a worried expression on her face, obviously concerned for her hungover father, and Volteer was rattling his mouth faster than Terrador had seen him do so in a long time.

"...you're a _guardian_ for ancestors' sake, Cyril! How can you just intoxicate yourself with that excessive amount of alcohol and being an influence that is extremely irresponsible, problematic, immature, _unaccountable_…"

"Shut up Volteer… you… fucking… idiot," Cyril snarled as he tried to keep himself upright.

"What is going on here?" Terrador scolded, snapping everyone out of the conversation.

Frisia turned to Terrador to explain to him calmly what had happened, but she was quickly overrun by a quick stream of words from Volteer.

"This buffoon decided it'd be a brilliant, ingenious, thoroughly brainy concept to go and fill himself stupid with alcohol last night and now he's hungover and…"

"Alright that's enough Volteer," Terrador snarled quickly, before turning to Cyril. "I want you to come with me. _Now_."

"I don't want to talk about it, you damned…"

"THAT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE, CYRIL! NOW!"

Cyril let out a low growl, like a child who had been told no. Reluctantly, he complied to Terrador's words and stumbled with little coordination into the guardian chamber, Terrador leading the way. The earth guardian ordered his comrade to sit, and he obeyed with another growl. Terrador felt like he was dealing with a child with how much Cyril was complaining and how he was having to order the ice guardian around. He sat in front of Cyril, staring him down. Cyril's gaze remained fixed on his paws as his throat rumbled with groans.

"I could clearly tell you were hungover when I arrived, Cyril," Terrador said lowly. "Care to explain what is going on?"

"I've already had enough talk from Volteer and enough worried looks from my own daughter, Terrador. I _don't_ want to talk about it, and I have nothing to say to you, so just shut the _fuck_ up!" Cyril growled angrily.

"ANSWER ME, CYRIL!" Terrador roared, slamming his paw on the table next to him, splitting it in two. "THIS IS UNBECOMING OF A GUARDIAN! FIRST OF ALL GOING OUT DRINKING ALL NIGHT AND RETURNING HOME DRUNK AND HUNGOVER TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN'T FOCUS PROPERLY, AND SECOND OF ALL, TREATING YOUR COMRADES WITH NO RESPECT!"

"HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME SUCH! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH AND WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED WITH SPYRO'S ILLNESS!"

"How could you say such things, Cyril?!" Terrador snarled threateningly, thrusting his face into Cyril's. "Spyro has just been through hell and more, now he's sick in bed suffering from seizures and ancestors knows what because of a damned _dark ancestor_, and you have the AUDACITY to start using _him_ as a reason for your drunken idiocy?! It's almost as if you're using the topic of dark purple dragons to justify what you've done, and I take _great _offense to that, given what happened back when Malefor was alive! YOU _KNOW_ HE KILLED PHEERUS, CYRIL! HE KILLED MY WIFE! IT BROKE MY HEART, AND YOU NEVER _ONCE_ TRIED TO HELP OR LOOK AFTER ME LIKE IGNITUS AND VOLTEER DID! YOU NEVER TRIED TO HELP ME LOOK AFTER MY SON, WHO _WATCHED_ HER BE MURDERED!"

Cyril scrambled back slightly, shaking out of fear due to Terrador's rare but savage anger.

"I… I swear I'm not… _using_ it, Terrador," he stammered. "I r-r-really have been through a lot with it. I swear. I swear on my _life_."

"So you've seen it before?" Terrador growled, but Cyril didn't respond.

Another bout of rage overtook him as he stood, moving quickly towards Cyril without a spoken word, all the words being held back inside his gritted teeth, knowing what sort of profane language would follow.

"No. N-n-n-no, I haven't… _seen_ it. But I've known it was there. I-I-I-I saw the signs. I knew what they were as soon as they showed up."

"And you didn't bother to tell us?"

"I was scared, okay?! I was scared of Spyro! I've been scared of him since the very beginning!"

"You… _what_? Even back when he was a child?"

"Yes. _Ancestors_ yes!" Cyril exclaimed, fear causing his voice to quiver. "Ever since I first saw him I thought he was a descendent of Malefor! I thought he would be just like that ancestor-forsaken monster, despite how pure he was. Malefor used to be the same. Pure and kind. I tried to look everywhere for a sign of lurking darkness, Terrador. I looked _everywhere_ within him, and I thought him accepting Cynder was the start of it! I thought he was going to turn evil, and I thought he was going to destroy everything we were trying to get him to win back for us! I spent _so long_ looking that when the darkness _did_ show up, I knew exactly what to look for. But I was too scared to say a damned word about it.

"Last night… last night when Spyro finally fell into the holds of darkness… I just couldn't take it any longer. I'd spent so long hoping that my view on Spyro was true that when it actually happened, it just hurt me more. It _terrified_ me more. _That's_ why I went out drinking. I drank more than I should have but I didn't care. I wanted to get away from the shame of me knowing and not saying anything. Of me always trying to find a flaw in Spyro. Of me hating our _damned_ saviour! A _child_ who put the _world_ back together! He _was_ good! He really _was_, I see it now! But with his current condition, I just can't see him the same way again! I just _can't_! So don't tell me I have the 'audacity' to say that I've been affected by this because I _have_! FOR TWENTY-THREE DAMNED _YEARS_ THIS HAS HAUNTED ME, TERRADOR! AND IT'S FINALLY COME BACK TO BITE ME!"

Terrador just stared at Cyril after his heavy vent, taking every piece of information in as his face fell. Cyril just stared up angrily at him, breath shaking violently as low growls escaped his throat. Not too long after, Cyril's angry state was interrupted by one of heavy sickness as his hungover stomach rebelled against him for screaming so much. The ice guardian turned and threw up on the floor beside him, the nasty, pungent smell filling the air, making Terrador himself want to throw up, but he held the gags in.

He stood forward, stroking Cyril's neck, before speaking softly.

"I can't believe you've kept this to yourself for this long, Cyril. Why didn't you talk to any of us about it?" he asked.

"Would you have believed me?" Cyril shot back.

"That doesn't matter. We all cared for you, Cyril. Why'd you leave it this long to tell someone about it?"

"Because I was scared, or were you not listening to me? So high and mighty being the head guardian now that you think that nothing I say has importance."

"That's not what I think at all, Cyril. I'm not happy with your decision to drink, especially because of the influence you have and I don't want us guardians coming across as drunkards, but I'm thankful that you opened up," Terrador said softly. "But this grudge? It's ridiculous. You know that Spyro is good-hearted. He's just been dealt a really bad playing card at the moment. Try to let go of the grudge, Cyril. It'd benefit not only him, but you as well. This paranoia hasn't seemed to be doing you much good, Cyril. Especially if this hangover is anything to go by."

"Please forgive me, Terrador," Cyril murmured, before he rubbed his eye violently, trying to hide the tear that was swelling up inside it. "Forgive me, please!"

"I forgive you, Cyril. Now go and get some rest. You very clearly need it," Terrador said. "I'll fix this, my friend."

Cyril murmured his thanks, before he pulled himself up off the floor before walking to his room. Terrador made his way over to the library, looking up all he could… about Mortem.

* * *

Timber walked through the lamp-lit streets nervously, clutching a bag which contained his precious cargo. Thoughts ran through his mind like a racehorse, making his palms sweat and his eyes dart from corner to corner. Although he was looking forward to spending the evening with Saiph, he was terrified that his proposal would end with a 'no' or a series of elevated words.

With the restaurant just around the corner, Timber stopped to look in a shop window, viewing his appearance. He had a panicked expression on his face and his scars were still prominent. He took a deep breath and turned the corner, soon seeing Saiph waiting patiently outside their favourite restaurant. Her scales were polished and shining in the moonlight, making Timber gasp at the sight of her. Every curve and feature of her frame was exhilarating and vibrant, enough to make Timber's heart beat against his chest at a thousand times per minute. He smiled in awe and love, taking each step slowly.

"Hey Saiph," he called out to her, his voice wavering a little.

"Hey sweetie," Saiph replied, running over to him. "I went ahead and booked us a reservation."

"Great, let's head in."

Timber coiled his tail around Saiph's and led her inside the restaurant. Upon entering, a young mole peered over the counter, lowering its round spectacles.

"Ah! Timber and Saiph! My favourite customers!" the mole exclaimed, walking up to the dragon pair.

"Evening Itchy," Saiph chuckled. "How's business been?"

"Booming!" the little mole replied. "Just a few days ago, I had the purple dragon in my restaurant!"

"Spyro came here?" Timber exclaimed. "Must've been for his and Cynder's anniversary."

"He hasn't come here before?" Saiph questioned.

"No, it was his first time, and I think he liked it!" Itchy said excitedly.

"That's great news for you at least," Timber chuckled. "Anyway, we'd like to have a table."

"Sure thing, come this way!"

Itchy led Timber and Saiph through to an outside balcony, lined with tables, shining plates and an array of scented candles, each one smelling of strawberries. Itchy directed them to a table next to the balcony, overlooking most of Warfang.

"This is amazing Itchy, thank you," Saiph smiled as Itchy blushed a little.

"You're too kind," Itchy mumbled, getting shy all of a sudden. "Now, can I get you any refreshments to start off?"

"Actually, I might use the restroom for a bit," Timber said. "Could you show me where it is?"

"Of course."

Itchy led Timber downstairs, before being stopped by a large paw.

"Itchy? I need you to do something for me."

"What's that, Mr. Timber?" Itchy questioned, slightly scared of the paw that had stopped her.

"I want to propose to Saiph tonight, would you be able to close off the balcony while I do it? I just don't want us to be disturbed," Timber questioned the mole, who thought intensely.

"A proposal! How romantic!" Itchy exclaimed yet again, making Timber get slightly scared that Saiph had heard them.

"Shh! Keep your voice down," he hissed, causing the little mole to close her mouth.

"My apologies, Mr. Timber, I shall close off the top floor for your convenience."

"Thank you," Timber nodded.

"You are most welcome," the little mole replied, giving a small bow and returning to the kitchen.

Timber chuckled a little before making his way back up the stairs towards the balcony, stopping in his tracks after he laid eyes on Saiph yet again. She had her head resting on her paw with her tail swaying back and forth in satisfying motion, her eyes shining as she stared at the scenery. Timber leaned against the doorway for a few seconds, admiring her beauty. He couldn't wait to see how she would react, but he knew he had to play it calmly and cooly. He made his way over towards the table and sat himself down.

"That was quick," Saiph chuckled. "Thought you'd been flushed away."

"Nah, you can't keep me away," Timber replied smugly, picking up a menu.

After the two dragons had decided what they were going to eat, they rang the silver bell on their table and told Itchy what they wanted. She wrote the order down on her notepad and gave Timber a sly wink before returning to her station, leaving the couple to themselves. Timber and Saiph talked for what seemed like hours, relishing past times and enjoying each other's company. They were interrupted once by their meals coming out, and then they were straight back into conversation, enjoying their food as well.

"Can you believe that Spyro and Cynder have been together for twenty years now?"

"No, it's mental. Seems like yesterday that we used to scrim everyday after class," Timber recollected. "That was just after… the war…"

"Yeah, Spyro and Cynder went through so much to keep us safe, and we didn't even know them at the time."

"Seems like everyone was saved, apart from my mother," Timber murmured, causing Saiph's face to fall. "I don't know, I hear stories of how many other people died in the war but because they never really affected me I always dismissed them. Then mother died… I still dismissed the other stories, but I believed Mother was the only one that was killed. I watched as she was butchered by those apes, Saiph. Father couldn't get to her in time. I was lucky to make it out apparently."

"Timber…"

"Ancestors, I feel like an idiot. I brought up Mother to Father earlier this morning. I mean, I wanted to know something, but it couldn't have been easy for him to have to think back… Gah, I just _sprung_ the question on him! I don't know how he's feeling now but I just feel like I've ruined his day now… Father hides all his emotions. You can never know what he's feeling until it becomes too much that he has to let it out. Shortly after Mother died was the last time I saw him so upset. I know he's had it hard since then, but he never showed any emotion. I hope he's doing alright."

"I'm sure he's doing fine, Timber. It sounds like he's been through a lot, but he's still around isn't he? He got through it. I reckon it was because he had you to look after. And then he had Spyro to help teach. Plus he had the other guardians to help him out. It might have brought up some bad memories but I don't think it would've been as daunting for him as it would've been shortly after it happened for example. Your father is one strong dragon, Timber. Have a bit more faith in him. And in yourself. Damn I didn't know that this had happened. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You didn't know, and I brought it up myself. It was my fault."

"I don't know how to change your view on feeling that your mother was the only one that couldn't be saved, but just know that many more people suffered and lost loved ones, so they know what you're feeling. I lost my brother. I think everyone lost someone. For Spyro and Cynder, it was Ignitus. Even _they_ lost someone they loved. You are not alone, and there are people who want to help you. Especially me. I love you, Timber, and I don't want to see you upset. Come on, give me a smile."

Timber rolled his eyes and let out a cheeky groan. Saiph raised an eyebrow and gave him a playful look of anger. He couldn't resist, allowing the corners of his mouth to rise in a smile.

"There it is," Saiph chuckled before nuzzling Timber.

"You never cease to make me smile, you know that?" cooed Timber.

"Of course, just one of my natural charms I guess," shrugged Saiph, smiling cheekily.

After finishing their meal and handing in their plates and glasses, Timber and Saiph sat at their table and engaged in conversation yet again.

"Thank you for tonight, I had a great time," Saiph smiled, staring deep into Timber's emerald eyes.

"Me too," Timber replied, knowing that if he was going to ask her, it must be now. "Hey Saiph? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything sweetie."

"Well… we've been together for a while and known each other since we were kids. You've become the most precious thing in my life and… I've never loved anyone so much in my life like I love you. After Mother died, you were always there for me and I can't thank you enough."

"It's my pleasure," Saiph smiled, taking his paw in hers.

"But… I want something more than we have now. Everytime I'm not with you, a piece of me is missing and I hate it. I hate it when we're not together and… I want us to be together for the rest of our lives."

Timber reached down into his bag, making Saiph tilt her head in perplexity.

"What are you-?"

Timber produced a small red box with golden spheres placed neatly around the top. He held it in his paws as he sat up from the table, making his way around to her side and giving her a sweet smile as he opened the box to reveal a golden bonding ring that glittered in the moonlight. Saiph gasped at the site that befell before her. Tears began to form in her eyes, elation coursing through her body.

Timber bowed his head and took a deep breath, knowing that this was his only chance.

"Saiph? Would you make me the happiest dragon alive… by marrying me?"

Saiph began to cry, but maintained a smile. She leaned forward and brought his chin up, bringing him into a passionate and loving kiss. She broke it for a few seconds, allowing her to answer.

"Yes, yes I will."

Timber smiled lovingly as she answered his question, placing the ring on one of her claws and pulling her in for another passionate kiss. Saiph sighed with content as Timber kissed her, knowing that she would be happy for the rest of her life. They parted lips and shared a warm embrace, not wanting to let each other go.

"I love you," Saiph whispered.

"I love you too."

After a few more moments of sharing kisses and hugs, Timber and Saiph thanked Itchy for her assistance. On the way out, Timber raised both paws in the air and gave Itchy the claws up, to which she replied with a silent cheer. Timber coiled his tail around Saiph's, who rested her head on his shoulder.

They walked down the streets of Warfang towards Saiph's house, their tails entwined tightly together, neither of them wanting to let go. Both dragons beamed happily, hearts hammering against their chests as excitement and love for each other filled them. They got a few happy looks from the few dragons that passed them by down the street, as if to say congratulations. Tonight had been just about them, and it was the best feeling in the world. A new sense of meaning pulsed through their hearts as they realised that they now belonged to each other. They arrived at Saiph's house, stopping in front of it.

"Well, hope you had a great night, Saiph," Timber said with a wide smile.

"Of course I did. Thank you, Timber," Saiph replied, before initiating another kiss that they both melted into.

"Thank you for saying yes," Timber whispered as they parted, nuzzling Saiph's cheek.

"Thank you for asking."

With that, Saiph uncoiled her tail reluctantly from Timber's and waved to him, before heading inside. Timber leapt for joy, shouting happily as he made his way down the street, skipping enthusiastically. Although he knew there were dark days to come, he knew that Saiph would always be by his side until the end of their days…

* * *

**There's another chapter done! I hope you enjoyed this one! It's a bit more light-hearted than the other ones, but it gives all of you that are reading a bit more of an idea of the characters inside of this book. I'm sure many of you are smiling after that ending, because all three of us definitely were. Anyway, sorry for the late update again. Been really hectic for all three of us if I'm honest and we haven't had time. But we've just got enough to upload this one. Hope you guys enjoyed it.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening... **

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… signing off ^_^ **


	14. CH12: The Trial of Ice

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. The last one was light-hearted, and I smiled a lot while writing it, that's for sure. Anyway, this one is going to be a little bit more dramatic and might get some of you on the edge of your seats while reading. Thanks to all of you who are reviewing frequently!:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- TARDIS  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- Atlas FF**

**You guys are amazing and I want to thank each and every one of you who have followed, favorited read and reviewed our story. It means the world. Anyway, without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains graphic gore and some bad language. Reader Discretion is advised.**

* * *

**Chapter 12: The Trial of Ice**

Cynder groaned as she slowly began to regain consciousness, a piercing, high-pitched ringing filling her ears. When she opened her eyes, she was met with a blurry mix of swirls and colours, unable to distinguish what was what. She blinked several times and shook her head to try and clear her vision. The latter action caused a new pain to surge through her frame, originating from her head as the effects of a concussion crushed her mind. Cynder winced with pain, hissing air through her teeth as she tried to pull herself up, her muscles screaming in protest. She felt cold water droplets fall onto her scales, making her shiver and teeth chatter.

Using all of her strength, Cynder tried to pull herself up, crashing back down as she felt a seething twinge of pain in one of her hind legs. She looked back and saw a large ice shard protruding out of it, the point buried a decent way into her leg. Blood oozed out of the wound, slightly crusted from age, telling her that she'd been unconscious for a while. She looked at the wound in detail, realising that it was deep and inflamed.

The flesh around it was weeping and swollen. She noticed it was infected due to the very low temperature and lack of humidity. She grabbed hold of the shard, grimacing as it moved slightly inside her. Counting in her head to brace herself, she yanked the shard out of her leg on 'one', the sickening sound of her flesh moving filling her ears. She let a loud shout of agony escape her throat as blood began dribbling from the wound, now completely free to flow where it wanted. She felt it spilling down her leg, and she began to feel slightly sick at the sensation of the disgusting combination of blood and water trickling down her scales.

Cynder looked over the rest of her frame, realising that she was covered in cuts and bruises. She looked for her gem bag through the darkness around her, seeing the strap just a few inches away. She reached out and grabbed it, pulling it closer towards her. As she moved however, she caused her her wounds to rub against the cold ground beneath her, bringing forth slightly more blood from them. She opened the bag, grabbing a red gem and sighing with relief at the sight of the welcome crimson crystal. She moved her leg closer to her, groaning as she did so, before breaking the gem over the wound. She absorbed the gem and her deep wound began to close up, but the mere red gem wasn't enough to stop the swelling and the infection. Gems could only do so much, and it had been a pretty severe wound.

Cynder sat herself up, lifting her hind leg slowly. She looked at her surroundings, barely being able to see. Gasping, she looked down at her neck, checking if the necklace that Spyro had given her was still there. To her relief, it was and without a single mark. Wiping off a few spots of blood that had dripped onto it, she peered at the purple dragon that was around her neck, her eyes filling with small tears.

"Well… we are in a bit of a pickle… aren't we Spyro?" Cynder asked the necklace that she clutched, kissing Spyro's side. "You should've seen Sparx earlier. We were actually… wait… SPARX!"

Cynder's mind suddenly tracked back to when she fell, remembering that Sparx had been hit too. She looked around frantically, soon turning her attention to one of her wings upon hearing a snoring sound. She lifted up her wing, finding Sparx sleeping underneath it. His little face was bruised greatly, and his nose was bleeding. Despite all of this, Sparx still managed to sleep soundly. Cynder grunted in annoyance and tapped the dragonfly with a claw, trying to wake him.

"Sparx, Sparx wake up," Cynder grumbled, her taps growing in force, but Sparx still did not wake. "Urh."

Cynder thought up another idea, smiling to herself. She bent down so that she was a few centimetres away from Sparx's face, opening her mouth to scream his name.

"SPARX!" she thundered, making Sparx scream loudly and his glow to return as he woke.

"AHHHH! WHAT THE FUCK CYNDE- Ow ow ow, my head…" Sparx screamed, clutching his head as it throbbed with pain from the sudden movement. "What happened? Where are we?"

"Does it look like I know, Sparx? I got knocked unconscious, too!" Cynder snapped.

"I was just asking my question out loud, Cynder," Sparx scoffed. "I swear you were thinking it too."

"Yeah well… I wasn't the one sleeping. I was the one nearly bleeding to death," Cynder replied.

"I'm sure that's an exaggeration," Sparx chuckled. "You're so strong and full of yourself, I don't think you'd ever die."

Cynder's face went cold as she turned to grab the bloodied ice shard that she had pulled out of her earlier. It had melted slightly, but half of its length was dripping with dark red blood, with extra globs of pus lying scattered in the dark blood, making it look hard and gunky.

"That's not the half of it," Cynder said, lowering the shard and showing Sparx her infected wound. "Still think I'm exaggerating?"

"Nope… gah… not really," Sparx retched as he covered his mouth, trying not to throw up.

Feeling something on them, he pulled his hands back and realised that his own blood was on them.

"HOLY FUCK! I'M BLEEDING! I'M GONNA DIE!"

"You imbecile, don't act like you haven't bled before in your whole thirty-five years of life, Sparx!" Cynder scolded. "I swear you would've cut yourself at _some_ stage!"

"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH BLOOD I HAVE COMPARED TO YOU?! A SMALL 'CUT' AS YOU CALL IT WOULD BE LIKE A STAB WOUND! I COULD DIE!" Sparx gasped, starting to hyperventilate.

"You were going on about _me_ over-exaggerating… Sparx… can you calm down?" Cynder asked him, rolling her eyes. "It's only a nose bleed."

"SO?! I DON'T _HAVE_ A LOT OF BLOOD TO LOSE!" Sparx shouted. "YOU HOWEVER HAVE _MORE_ THAN ENOUGH BLOOD TO DROWN ME TEN TIMES OVER! A NOSE BLEED COULD CAUSE ME SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE!"

"You know what? I'm not even going to keep arguing," Cynder growled. "There's no point. You're just going to keep going at it like you always do… and make things worse…"

Sparx rolled his eyes, scoffing, turning his back towards Cynder, who let out a disgruntled huff of annoyance. The little dragonfly wiped his face, smearing the blood all over it, before rubbing it harder to get rid of it. After looking at his hand and retching a little, he crossed his arms and kept his back towards Cynder. They remained there in silence for a bit, before Sparx slowly turned his head around to look at Cynder through his peripheral vision. She was definitely angry, but she also seemed more upset now that he looked at her properly. Sadness overtook her expression. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

As if by chance, he caught sight of something and his expression changed. He was curious about it and wanted to ask about it. Maybe it'd make them forget about the argument they were just having.

"What's that?" Sparx asked, his tone of voice now one of curiosity, pointing at her.

"What's what?"

"Around your neck... what is it?"

Cynder looked down at the necklace which hung next to her heart, a solemn look gracing her face.

"Spyro… gave it to me on our anniversary," Cynder mumbled. "He has the other half back at home. Just… keeps him close to me I guess."

Sparx looked at her with pity, smiling at how strong the bond between them was. Although Sparx had his own mate and knew how deep love goes, this was an entirely new level for him to comprehend. Cynder held the necklace in her paws, a tear falling onto it.

"Well, we're going to see him real soon, you can count on that," Sparx said to her, making a small grin emerge on her face.

"We sure will, now come on, let's find the stone and get out of here."

"_If only it were that easy… black dragoness…"_

Cynder froze at the voice, Sparx letting out a small yelp and flying onto her head, quivering behind one of her horns. It was a sinister whisper, echoing around the ice cavern. She looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the voice. She saw a faint glow down one end of the cavern, the same colour as the stone. She ran down towards the glow and saw the stone embedded in a bed of ice, pulsating with energy. Cynder reached forward to grab it, hearing the voice yet again.

"_I know… who… you… ARE!"_

Cynder was sent flying backwards as a large outward pulse shot out of the stone. It then began to float, sending out smaller pulses of energy, a low hum emanating from it. The stone then proceeded to take the spectral form of a dragon similar in appearance to Spyro, but with piercing white eyes and a bright cyan aura.

"Who are you?!" she questioned the apparition in front of her, grimacing at her injuries as she pulled herself up.

"_I know what you've done… Denthanus di wer Svanti," _the illusion hissed, making Cynder growl and bare her teeth. _"You call yourself… 'Cynder.' I prefer the other title. Your former title."_

"I don't answer to that name anymore, bastard!" Cynder growled, taking a step forward and flexing her claws. "Now why don't you tell me yours?!"

"_I'm sure someone must've mentioned me by now… or do I have to give you two a history lesson?" _the phantom grinned, flexing his own claws and staring coldly at Cynder and the frightened Sparx.

"You're… You're Mortem... aren't you?" Cynder gasped with realisation.

"_Just a part of me, my power split into four pieces. Each piece of my spirit… has been trapped in elemental stones spread across the lands by those… incestuous ancestors! And now Cynder… just by _finding_ the stone, you have awakened my power lying dormant inside it."_

"What do you mean?!" Cynder questioned the revenant. "Answer me!"

"_I mean, you daft, slithering bitch, that getting these stones will not be easy. Each one contains a part of me, and you will have to fight to obtain them. You're welcome to try of course, either way… I don't have anything to lose. You on the other hand, my dear… have everything to lose."_

"I WON'T PLAY YOUR SICK, TWISTED GAME!" Cynder screamed at him, her claws digging into the ice beneath her.

The apparition released a sickening chuckle, making Cynder even more angry.

"_You think this is a game? I assure you Cynder, it's not… The longer you delay… the more your precious Spyro suffers... the further he falls under my control."_

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Cynder thundered, running towards the apparition and leaping to attack, before being sent flying into the cavern wall.

She hit the wall with a heavy thud, the impact sending Sparx flying off her head too. He landed with a thud on the ground, knocking him unconscious once more. Cynder winced as pain flared through her body. She slid down to the ground, coughing, before she struggled to her paws, glaring once more at the spirit. The apparition just scoffed.

"_Pathetic! What did that purple lizard ever see in you? You're nothing but a MURDEROUS WHORE!"_

"SHUT UP!"

Cynder ran towards the spirit again, but it leapt out of the way, causing Cynder to stumble and slip where it once had been. She turned back towards it, growling and baring her teeth. The apparition let out a low chuckle before its paws solidified with hard ice. It rushed towards her, raising both paws in the air, ready to slam her down to the ground. She dodged, but the apparition swung its tail around, also now solidified with a layer of ice. It thrust its tail into the side of Cynder's face, sending her toppling to the ground. She tried to get up but the ice-covered paws were now pummelled into her face, forcing a groan out of her throat as her nose began bleeding. It barrelled its paws into her face again, and as the apparition raised its fists to hit her a third time, Cynder finally rolled out of the way. The spirit's ice-covered paws slammed into the ground beneath it, leaving behind large cracks in the icy floor.

The black dragoness stood up, wiping her face to get rid of the blood streaming from her nostrils, before she opened her mouth and let loose a large glob of poison at the spectre. It went straight through its chest, colliding with the ice cavern wall a good few metres behind the spectre. The sizzle of the venom burning through the ice began to fill the air. The spectre just laughed maniacally at Cynder.

"_I am a mere illusion, Denthanus di wer Svanti!"_ it jeered. _"Your attacks don't do anything to me!"_

"DON'T CALL ME THAT NAME!" Cynder screamed.

"_There's no point trying to convince yourself that you're not what you actually are, Denthanus… The delusion of denial will be your undoing. Majak svern, hawrk'ghukech kenzi!"_

The spirit opened its mouth and an immense beam of ice screamed towards her. Cynder didn't have time to dodge the speedy attack as it slammed into her chest, sending her flying backwards into the wall once again. Small ice particles were scattered on her chest, which was slightly discoloured due to the intense cold of the beam, and her back was also badly bruised. Cynder quickly recovered, knowing the apparition would not give herself a lot of time to do so. She only just dodged his next attack, a lunge forward with ice-covered jaws open wide. The layer of ice surrounding its head cracked a bit as it slammed forcefully into the wall. Seeing a solid point of contact, Cynder took her chance and reached out, punching the spirit in the face.

The apparition recoiled at the impact, before calling away the ice layering, letting out a loud roar as its white, spectral eyes blared with intensity. Cynder noticed ice particles building up inside the spectre's maw, and she scrambled out of the way, narrowly dodging another powerful beam of ice. Icicles sprayed out of the ground, pointing in every which direction, splayed out so that every point was a dangerous spear.

Cynder released a siren scream at the apparition, the harsh tones of the shriek resounding through the chamber, causing a few cracks to appear in the walls of the cavern. The red sound waves barrelled towards the apparition, but it didn't seem to do anything. Noticing the cracks in the icy walls, the spirit just gave a nasty smile and muttered one word.

"_Jikmada."_

The walls on both sides of Cynder blew up, sending tiny shards of ice flying in a multitude of directions, before large slabs of ice began to fall down on top of her. She screamed as more ice shards began to bury themselves into her flesh, her back screaming for mercy as the large slab of ice pushed down on her.

"_Your struggle is pointless. You could never bring yourself to my level of power. Pitiful waste of space. In the time of peace you've grown slow and fat. No wonder you failed to protect Spyro. He doesn't deserve your love."_

"Shut up… you… you don't… deserve to say… his name… _riika_..."

Cynder groaned at her state of helplessness, trying to lift the slab of ice on top of her. She seemed to be doing well, lifting it up slowly for a good five seconds, before her legs gave way and she tumbled back to the ground, the slab of ice crashing down on her once more. A pained cry burst from her jaws as her back seethed with pain yet again. Her leg wasn't holding up well either. It had been turned in an uncomfortable spot, the swollen infection rubbing into the freezing cold ice below it. Pus began oozing from the infected flesh as pressure was put on it. Cynder let out another cry as she tried to lift the slab of ice up again, but just like before, failed. She screamed as the ice fell back down on her this time, voice raw with anger, pain and frustration. She heard the spirit laughing at her, making the anger boil up even more within her.

Suddenly an idea popped into her head, and she cursed herself for not thinking of this before. She focused hard, her body becoming ablaze with shadow fire, causing the slab of ice on top of her to begin melting. Once enough weight was off her, she slowly brought herself up onto all fours, her vision hazy, before she threw the melting ice off her back. Her body still stung from the ice shards that had embedded themselves into her flesh, but most of them had melted too due to her body heat rising. Most of the pain now came from the water streaming over her raw, bloody wounds, but she bit the pain back with a hiss. She stared at the apparition with hatred, baring her blood-stained teeth.

"I know… who you are… _torke di marfedelom_," Cynder snarled bitterly, shaking off her injuries. "I know what you've done."

"_Silence! You know nothing of my past! You know nothing of the suffering that I have endured!"_

"You know full well that I do, _othoke._ I know more about torture than any other dragon. I do not fear you," Cynder snared, causing the soul to send another wave of shards towards her.

"_YOU WILL DIE!"_

The spirit leapt up, catching Cynder in its grasp and pinning her to the ground, paws now covered in the cold icy layering once more, the ice spreading all the way up to the spirit's shoulders to add more weight to the pressure already being exerted on Cynder. The cold contact burned, and Cynder hissed in pain. The apparition grinned in triumph and victory, opening its maw to end Cynder's struggle.

"_IT'S OVER FOR YOU!" _it screamed as the ice began to form in its mouth, Cynder bracing herself for her untimely end.

Suddenly, an arrow became lodged in the apparition's shoulder, making it growl with annoyance as it stumbled off Cynder. She looked up to see not just an old friend, but hope.

Hunter.

"Hello Cynder!" Hunter waved as he dodged an incoming attack.

"Hunter! You have no idea how glad I am to see you!" Cynder gasped, pulling herself up onto all fours.

"No time to talk, Cynder!" Hunter growled, dropping to the ground as an ice-covered tail swung over his head.

He quickly pulled himself back to his paws, whipping out another arrow and shooting it at the spirit, but it called back all of the ice layering and became fully translucent, the arrow soaring through it. The apparition chuckled, before releasing another strong beam of ice at Hunter. Cynder let out her own attack, breathing a heavy gale of wind towards Hunter, getting him out of the way just in time, sending him slamming into the wall.

"Careful!" Hunter scolded.

"Sorry, it's been a while since I've been in a fight!" Cynder quickly apologised, before getting to her paws and glaring at the apparition.

The apparition's head become covered with ice as it lunged at her, jaws opened wide. She moved to sidestep but her paws slipped, allowing the apparition to successfully get to her. It bit down on her neck, forcing a cry of pain from her jaws as red blood began to stream from her throat. Its paws became covered with ice too as it held her to the ground, digging its sharp, cold talons into her flesh. Two arrows soared towards the spirit's head as Cynder screamed, one bouncing off the temple, hitting it at an angle, but the second buried itself into the ice layering. The spirit reared back with a growl, calling back the ice covering its face. The arrow fell to the ground, as well as the blood that was staining the ice-covered fangs.

"Cynder! Focus!" Hunter demanded, moving quickly around the cavern and firing arrows at will.

The spirit rushed forward again, paws still covered in ice as it walloped her in the face, sending it slamming into the ground. Hunter released another stream of arrows, all embedding themselves inside the soul's paws and immobilising it.

"Now Cynder!" He screamed. "Take the stone!"

Cynder rushed forward, dodging incoming beams and reaching the stone. She placed her paw on it and began to pry it from it from the chest of the apparition.

"_You think that this will save Spyro? It will do nothing but make things worse. He never loved you! No one could ever love a monster like you!"_

Cynder stopped pulling the stone and pushed the soul's head so she was face to face with it, snarling and baring her teeth.

"It is you who is the unloved monster. Take this as your final warning, bastard," Cynder hissed. "Leave my Spyro alone... or I will make you burn in hell."

With that, she ripped the stone free, causing the spirit to writhe and scream, soon dissipating into small cyan embers that lit up the cavern and shone in their eyes. She took a few heavy breaths to calm herself down, before she walked over towards her gem bag, tossed to the side amongst the brawl, putting the ice stone carefully in the gem bag. A few metres to the side, she saw the limp body of Sparx, knocked unconscious from being thrown off her head when the fight began. She picked him up, placing him gently in the gem bag too, knowing that it was somewhere she couldn't lose him.

"Are you alright, Cynder?" Hunter asked, causing Cynder to turn around and look at him.

"Yeah… I'm fine," she replied, breathing heavily.

"You don't look too good."

Cynder looked herself over, noticing her very bloody body. Her leg wound had been cut open again. The amount of blood dripping down her leg from the wound and the irritated infection was much smaller than it had been before, but pus also oozed from the infected skin, mixing with the blood and making a horrid mixture. Large, severe cuts covered her body, and her face was covered in blood that streamed from her nose and spilled from her mouth. She could taste the metallic liquid, and she cringed at the taste, almost wanting to throw up. The red liquid also streamed down her throat where the apparition had bit her. She felt her head swing at the amount of blood that she had lost, her muscles crippling underneath her as she began to lose consciousness.

Hunter ran to her side, but she slowly picked herself up again.

"I… need to… get out of here first," she groaned.

She reached forward, grabbing Hunter's shoulders and spreading her wings out. With a mighty flap of her wings, she shot herself back up into the air, up to where the upper layer of the cave was, before she flew back towards where they had come in. Her flying was shaky and disoriented, and the more she flew, the more she felt herself losing consciousness.

She saw daylight, and continued pushing on. As she made her way out of the cave, she felt her eyes roll back and her vision went extremely blurry, an amalgamation of shapeless colours swarming her vision. Pain filled her as her snout smacked into the ground, anchoring her into the snow. With the extra momentum, her body swung over her head like a pendulum, causing her to fall flat on her back.

Cynder faintly registered the sound of Hunter calling her name, before her vision went completely black, and fell into a state of unconsciousness.

* * *

"_Cynder… Cynder… Wake up…"_

Cynder's eyes shot open, her gaze moving frantically and studying her surroundings. To her surprise, she was back in her house, lying on her bed. She looked down at her body, gasping as she realised that her wounds had completely healed, not a single scar on her scales.

"Hey, sleepyhead," a familiar voice called out to her, making Cynder gasp.

"Spyro…"

Spyro stood opposite her, looking over her with the goofy smile that she longed to see.

"Did you have a good sleep, Cynder?" Spyro asked her, eyes gleaming with love.

Cynder stammered, unsure what her reply should be. She knew this was a dream, but then again, she wanted it to be reality. What if it really _was_ reality, and everything involving Spyro and Mortem was the dream? She didn't want to worry him, but at the same time she wanted to tell him the truth. She was so conflicted as to what she should say.

"Uhh… good," Cynder replied, just keeping it simple and generic while she pieced everything together. "I had a… a _great_ sleep."

"That's great to hear, Cynder. Now come on, we should get going. We have classes to teach, and for once I'm up earlier than you," Spyro said, turning around and making his way towards the door.

"Hush it," Cynder said, forcing a chuckle.

Spyro noticed that the chuckle was forced and paused. There were tones under Cynder's voice that he didn't like. Ones of nervousness and discomfort. Tones that told him that something was wrong.

"Are you alright, Cynder?" he asked, turning back around, before walking back to her side, standing next to her.

"Yes, I'm feeling absolutely fine," she replied.

"Are you sure? You're acting a little drier and moodier than usual," Spyro said softly. "You know how well I can pick up on these things, especially with you. What's wrong?_"_

"I've just been… I've just had some… tough thoughts, recently," Cynder stammered, wording her answer carefully. "I'm stressing out about a lot of stuff, and I'm really doubting myself at the moment. I'm doubting whether or not I can get this stuff done… I don't know what to do."

"Cynder, I know you've got this. You are a strong dragoness. The fact that you made it through your childhood and are now living a peaceful life with me, as a mate, is more than enough to prove that. You can do whatever you put your mind to. I've seen that. Plus you know you've got our friends, the guardians, and especially myself to help you out, Cynder. You can't give up now._"_

"I really appreciate the offer, Spyro, but…"

"Don't turn me down, Cynder. I'm your mate and I want to help._"_

"Spyro, you don't understand…"

"Just stop stressing, Cynder. It'll all be okay. I'm here for you. Always. I will never leave your s-AAAAAAAAHHHH!_"_

An unearthly howl tore from Spyro's throat as his chest ruptured, spraying blood everywhere. A massive, ugly blade protruded from his chest, jagged and horribly shaped, drowned in red. Cynder let out her own scream as she leapt back in her bed, feeling Spyro's blood splattering on her face. Spyro howled loud and long, eyes hazy and staring at the ceiling. He paused for an intake of air, but at this very moment, another ugly blade shot out of his forehead, sending another large fountain of blood spraying into the air. Spyro let out another howl, hoarse and raw with agony, worse than the first. Cynder felt the tears rush to her eyes, not even waiting before they threw themselves down her cheeks.

This was a dream, this was _definitely_ a dream!

Spyro's howling stopped, the only noise remaining being Cynder's frightened sobbing and whimpering. The purple dragon lowered his head, looking down at her, a blank, emotionless expression on his face. He tilted his head eerily, taking in a few hitched breaths before Cynder realised that Spyro was crying too. The main thing she noticed, however, was that his tears were red. He was crying blood.

The purple dragon opened his maw and out of it came the most horrible voice Cynder had ever heard.

"_Ehis persvek nomeno treskri waphic malrak, Denthanus,"_ he droned, spitting blood out of his mouth as he spoke. _"Froneel wux itov geou confn ekess vin sulta. Vur thric selgtarn svanoa tonn wux xoal, ehis wux shilta tir geou pok coi. Dout danthe mrrandii ui gethrisja, Denthanus. Zulf ekess wer bekifi di whedabra. Hauracha ekess wer bekifi di uoinota. Malrak geou jaci zahhar."_

"This can't be happening…" Cynder breathed. "This can't be happening!"

"_Wux geou fail nomeno naushindcalna cep di douta, Denthanus di wer Svanti. Malefor's kenzi. Dout mrrandii jahus agantal gethrisjir ekess loreat. Coi filki zyak shinaltic batobot coi ui dout fault batobot jaci tiric."_

Cynder eyes began to fill with tears as she shook with fear, her heart breaking as her husband's lifeless form hung in front of her.

"_Sask persvek uoinota!"_

Cynder covered her eyes with her paws as the form lunged at her, about to end her suffering.

* * *

Cynder woke with a jolt and a heavy gasp, sweating wildly and feeling the full crushing pain of her injuries. She growled at the pain she was in, feeling her muscles scream in agony as she tried to sit herself up. Cynder surveyed her surroundings, her eyes filled with scenery that looked strangely familiar. Moonlight coursed through the windows, casting a faint shroud of light into the room she was in, giving a small concentration of light. She peered at the floor, soon realising that it was made out of wood, blending into the rest of the room. The roof was made of straw, held together with strings of vine tied in a series of butterfly knots. Cynder clutched her head as it began to pound, soon realising that her head was covered in bandages, much like the rest of her body. Suddenly, she felt her face get hit by a wave of icy water, making her recoil at the impact.

"AH! WHAT THE HELL!" she recoiled, wiping the water off with the back of her paws.

Looking up, she saw that Hunter was holding a bucket with a rather accomplished smirk on his face, Sparx trying not to laugh behind him.

"Good evening, Cynder," Hunter smiled, putting down the bucket. "How are you feeling?"

"GOOD EVENING, MY ASS! HOW DO YOU THINK I'M FEELING?!" Cynder shouted, her head hurting even more.

"No need to shout, Cynder," Hunter said softly. "It was Sparx's idea after all."

Upon hearing this, Cynder gave Sparx a cold death stare, making him yelp and hide behind Hunter.

"Your injuries were severe Cynder," Hunter reminded her. "You lost a lot of blood and your heart stopped a couple of times. I also had to carry you all the way back here. I may be strong but that still took me several days. Poor Sparx was worried sick."

"I was not!" Sparx's voice called out behind him.

"Well that's a first," Cynder chuckled before she groaned, recoiling at the pain she was enduring. "Ow… gah... it hurts to laugh…"

"The real question is… why were you down there in the first place?" Hunter asked her, raising an eyebrow.

Cynder looked at her bandaged paws, recollecting the past events. She looked up at Hunter and began telling him all that had happened: Spyro's sickness, Mortem, and her quest to find the Chronicler. After Cynder had finished explaining, Hunter made his way over to the window and stared out at the village, a claw rubbing his chin.

"This is most troubling, if this 'Mortem' creature manages to take hold of Spyro… it could be catastrophic," Hunter mumbled, finding it hard to believe that Spyro could destroy a world that he had just saved.

"Yeah and that's why we need the stones. On top of that, each stone contains a part of his power that he… challenges us with," Cynder explained. "That's what we fought in the cavern."

"Interesting… well I must alert Prowlus of the developments, you stay here and rest for now, then we do some training."

"Training?" Cynder said, turning her head in perplexity. "What training?"

"It's obvious that you are not as used to fighting as you were when you were younger Cynder," Hunter smirked, slinging his bow over his shoulder. "Seems you have become so dependant on Spyro to help you in battle, that you haven't thought about your own style. I only needed to watch you fight for a _bit_ to come to this conclusion."

"Fair point," Cynder mumbled, looking at the wall. "Wait… what were _you _doing in the cavern? How'd you even know I was _there_?"

"Fairly simple Cynder, I tracked you the same way I tracked Spyro," Hunter explained. "I also wanted to step away from the village for a bit, explore what the new world around us had to offer. But that is also why you should be careful Cynder. Most creatures out there want revenge for your past life, so you must be vigilant at all times, hence why we are going to be training."

"Just when I think I escape that life… it comes and bites me up the backside," Cynder groaned, stamping her paw on the bed and wincing as it throbbed with pain.

"That's the issue with grudges Cynder, they're very hard to get rid of," Hunter reminded her.

"Then you could come with us! Help us like you did last time," Cynder suggested.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Cynder."

"Why not?" Cynder asked him, slightly annoyed that he was turning down her offer.

"Well…"

"Daddy!" said a voice from outside, making Cynder's eyes widen.

Suddenly, a small cheetah ran into the house, leaping into Hunter's arms and kissing him on the cheek. She wore a small cyan frock, covered in swirls. Her eyes were a clear green, and her smile was pure and just.

"Daddy?" Cynder said in surprise, looking up at Hunter in disbelief.

"Daddy! You said you'd play with me today!" the young cheetah cried, giggling as she snuggled into her father's arms.

"I know, Aerith, I'm just talking to an old friend," Hunter cooed, kissing his daughter on the forehead.

Aerith's attention turned towards the shocked form of Cynder, her eyes widening in wonder.

"Daddy? What is that?" Aerith asked her father, staring at the creature that got her mind racing.

"That is a dragon, Aerith, a very powerful creature. This is one of Daddy's old friends, Cynder," Hunter explained.

"Hello Cynder!" Aerith said with enthusiasm. "You're very big!"

"Aerith!"

Cynder merely chuckled and smiled at Aerith, waving her paw gently.

"It's fine, Hunter. Hello Aerith, it's nice to meet you," Cynder smiled. "When did this happen, Hunter?"

"Not long ago, a few months at most," Hunter said, nuzzling his daughter. "Wasn't expecting it really, but… the ancestors have other ideas."

"Yeah… I guess they do," Cynder said sadly, looking down at the wooden floor.

"What about you, Cynder?"

"What _about _me?"

"I heard word that you and Spyro had become mates, you must have children by now."

"Actually no," Cynder replied. "We have talked about it for a while but… Spyro doubts himself. He thinks that he won't be a good father, but I know he will!"

Hunter smiled sweetly, placing Aerith down by his side and holding her paw in his.

"From what I've seen, Spyro is a kind-hearted and fair dragon. He is loyal to a fault and is selfless, I have seen it myself and he has proved that… by rescuing you," he explained. "But at the end of the day, it is Spyro's choice."

"Yeah, I know," Cynder acknowledged him.

"Daddy! Come on! You said we'd play!" Aerith moaned, tugging on his cloak.

"Alright my little moonshine, head on out, I'll be there in a moment," Hunter said, giving her a kiss before she skipped out of the house.

Hunter's attention turned back towards Cynder, smiling and chuckling at his daughter's actions.

"I never thought the idea of having a child would be so thrilling," Hunter sighed, looking out the window at Aerith trying to pounce on a butterfly. "But then again, it is tough."

"You're telling me," Sparx interrupted, making his way out from behind Hunter. "I wasn't able to sleep for most nights and I was always flying around. I still get back pain."

Cynder merely rolled her eyes and shook her head at Sparx's dramatic description. Of course she knew that childcare would be hard, but she longed for a child of her own, no matter how hard she had to try to take care of it. She knew that Spyro would do anything it took to protect their child, but it bothered her that he still had doubts. Her mind quickly snapped back to the moment at hand, knowing that future may never come unless she recovers.

"Anyway, I must go to her. You on the other hand must stay here and rest. We have training to do later. We will go in the morning to tell Chief Prowlus everything that you have told me. He will undoubtedly want to know."

"I understand," Cynder nodded, placing her head back down on her paws. "Hey, Hunter?"

"Yes, Cynder?" he replied, standing in the doorway.

"Thanks for saving me," Cynder smiled. "Thanks for everything you've done for Spyro and me. We'd never have made it to Mount Malefor without you."

"It is both my honour and my duty," Hunter said, bowing in respect before leaving the house.

Sparx flew after him, giving Cynder a short wave before leaving. After they had left, Cynder was left to her own thoughts, thinking about home, and more importantly, Spyro. She got up from the bed and made her way over to the window, staring at Hunter and Sparx play with Aerith. She gazed at the father and daughter couple, wanting so badly to play with her own child. She clutched the purple dragon that hung around her neck, wishing that he was still fighting.

"I wish you were here with me," she whispered to herself. "Rest assured Spyro. I'll free you from Mortem, and when I do, we'll live in peace. No more fighting, no more death. Just you, me… and maybe a child… of our own."

Cynder kissed her necklace, a tear dropping onto it, before she laid back onto the bed and drifted off to a peaceful sleep, dreaming of Spyro next to her, and a hatchling in her arms...

* * *

**There we have it! Another chapter complete! Cynder really got **_**yeeted **_**in this one didn't she? Just realised that was a bad meme reference. I'm gonna go now… Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. You cannot believe how hard this was to write but I hope you guys enjoyed it nevertheless. If you guys want to translate the draconic, then search up 'draconic translator' on google to find one and copy and paste the language in there.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… signing off ^_^**


	15. CH13: Teachings and Training

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. Thirteen chapters… wow… This is starting to get really fun and much more challenging which I guess is an extra bonus. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed, favourited, followed and even remotely read our story. Even if you have read one word, thank you. Thanks to all my frequent reviewers!:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- TARDIS**

**I'm sorry for this chapter coming out late. I had a pretty emotional week. Recently, my Nan passed away due to dementia and I have had to work quite a bit which meant less time with Cheetah, my family and less time to write. It's been difficult, but now that it's getting closer to Christmas, it should hopefully sort itself out. Hope you guys enjoy this next chapter. This one will probably get a smile on your face. Now without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Teachings and Training**

The rising sun blared its first light of day, shining onto the world and waking up its inhabitants. The hay draped over the wooden houses in the cheetah village began to glow gold, birds chirping as the world came to life at the first sign of day. Looking out of the window and tightening a bow string, Hunter stared at the sun rising in the distance, his mind racing with thoughts of Cynder's words from the previous day. After finishing the repairs to his bow, Hunter placed in it in the corner and stared out of the window, lost in thought.

His past memories with Spyro ran through his mind, and he began thinking of what could happen if Mortem truly took over... what it would mean to the lands... what it would mean to himself and his newly formed family. It hurt him to know that this thing inside of Spyro could cause the purple dragon to lose himself and do some terrible things.

He knew he needed to do some training with Cynder to get her into fighting shape to stand a chance of saving Spyro, which would be a tough task due to the injuries she had sustained. He knew that if she stood any chance of surviving her journey, she would need to regain the skills that she had long since forgotten. He sighed and cleared his throat, soon hearing a voice behind him.

"Something on your mind?" the voice said, causing Hunter to smile as the sweet and soft sound filled his ears.

"You could say that," Hunter replied, turning round to see the wife that he loved so dearly. "Never could get much past you, Clover."

Standing in the doorway, wearing a bright red gown decorated with golden stars, was Hunter's wife Clover. Her red fur shone as the light from the sun glowed through the window, also lighting up her cyan eyes. She had a caring smile on her face, one that never seemed to fade.

"What's wrong, dear?" Clover asked him, placing a paw on his shoulder.

"It's about Cynder and her journey," Hunter replied, placing his paw on hers. "I'm deeply worried for her and Spyro."

"She'll be fine, Hunter," Clover reassured him. "She's strong and driven... kinda reminds me of someone."

"Who? Prowlus?"

"No, you silly feline. _You_," Clover chuckled. "You could never sit still before we had Aerith, and when you do, it's either cause you're in thought or you're hungry."

"Very funny," Hunter smirked. "Still… I feel uneasy about all this mess, what if she fails and… Spyro…"

"Hey, don't go all doom and gloom on me," Clover said sternly. "I had enough of that before we got married. But… like I said before, Cynder will do this and Spyro will be fine. That being said, you have more important things to worry about at the moment. Aerith is growing up so fast and she will need her father to guide her every step of the way."

Hunter walked back over to the window and leaned on the frame, staring at the sunrise with eyes deep in thought and his fur shining a soft gold.

"Sometimes I feel like I fail her," Hunter said sadly.

"Now that certainly isn't true," Clover replied. "I've seen the way that she looks at you, and It's obvious that what you're saying is not the case. You're a hero to her, and to me."

Hunter smiled as Clover made her way over to him, putting her paws on his cheeks. Clover kissed him softly on the forehead before bringing his eyes up towards hers. They were indeed full of worry, but also full of kindness. She then gave him a loving kiss on the lips, sighing in contentment before pulling away. The two cheetahs stayed in their loving embrace for a few minutes, taking in the warmth of each other's touch and the unison of their beating hearts. Clover untangled her arms from Hunter, before placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Now Mr Grumpy Draws, since you're training Cynder today you're gonna need your strength, what do you fancy for breakfast? Your favourite?" Clover asked him, forcing a smile to emerge on his face.

"You always know how to cheer me up," Hunter said softly, beaming as his heart skipped a beat due to Clover's sweet smile. "I love you."

"Love you too, you big softy. Shall I wake up Little Miss Mischief or do you want to do the honours?"

"Although I do miss the thrill of fighting, I'd rather not have to deal with an angry child," Hunter laughed.

"Alright then, I better get something for this, mister," Clover smirked cheekly, standing in the doorway.

"I'm sure I'll think of something…" he winked, causing Clover to blush slightly.

"Naughty…"

Hunter gave a low chuckle as Clover rolled her eyes with a scoff, before she turned and walked out of the room. The skilled archer just sighed after bringing his chuckles to a stop, standing up and stretching, lifting his paws into the air as he puffed out his chest. He then began to make his way out of the room after Clover, who was now waking up Aerith. Hunter could hear his daughter's frustrated, tired groans of protest coming from her room as he walked past it, smiling as he went. Although she was a young cheetah, she did have quite the temper, obviously obtaining it from her mother's side. After a series of groans and mumbles, Aerith made her way to the breakfast table, followed by her father, eyes droopy with tiredness.

"Good morning, moonshine," Hunter chirped. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah…" Aerith mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"Good," Hunter replied with a smile.

Aerith slumped down onto her chair with a huff, her eyes dropping to a state of half-open and half-closed.

"I had a wonderful dream last night Daddy," Aerith said groggily.

"And what was that?" Hunter asked his daughter.

"I dreamt that I was flying, sitting on a dragon's back," Aerith recollected, making Hunter smile at his little girl's imagination. "I went high above the clouds, I saw Mummy below us and I waved to her. We flew for ages and did swirls and flips."

"Oh really? That sounds like fun."

"Yeah, I want to know how dragons fly! So then I can learn to fly myself!" Aerith said, bouncing in her chair.

Hunter gave a slight chuckle at his daughter's innocence, enthusiasm and naivety, believing she could fly if she put her mind to it. Hunter was in awe of her imagination and how powerful it was, something that was common in children her age. He missed the carefree days of his youth, but he was thankful he could experience it once more in the form of his daughter.

Aerith suddenly gasped as she stared at the table, her eyes widening in realisation.

"Maybe I could ask Cynder!" she exclaimed.

"Well your father is going to see her this morning so… if it's okay with him, you can go and ask her yourself," Clover said as she entered the room with their breakfast.

"Can I go? Please Daddy? Please?" Aerith pleaded, bouncing in her seat.

"Alright Aerith, you can come," Hunter chuckled.

Aerith yelled in triumph, raising her small paws in the air and beaming wildly. She hurried to the other side of the table, leaping onto her father and giving him a tight embrace.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Aerith repeated excitedly, letting go of her father and jumping up and down.

"Alright Aerith, sit down at the table please," Clover laughed, guiding her back over to her seat.

Hunter looked down at the food that had been prepared. A large plate of meat was positioned in the middle, steam billowing up from it and its scent filling his nostrils, making his mouth water. A basket of berries and small cups of water were also placed on the table, the cups next to each inhabitant of the table.

"You better eat up then Aerith," Hunter said while smiling. "Got a busy day today."

Within minutes, the food was eaten by the cheetah family, each sighing in satisfaction at the feeling of their now full stomachs. Hunter pulled himself up and grabbed his bow from the corner of the room. He said his goodbyes to Clover and, with his paw clutching Aerith's, he made his way over to the medical shelter where Cynder was sleeping soundly. Aerith skipped beside him, her eyes shining in the early morning sun and a broad smile plastered across her face.

"I can't wait to see her!" Aerith exclaimed. "I want to find out so much more about dragons!"

"Well we mustn't be rude Aerith," Hunter said sternly. "Let her wake up first and then you can ask some questions."

"Okay Daddy!"

Upon reaching the shelter, Hunter stopped and bent down to Aerith's level, telling her to wait there while he went inside to wake Cynder up. Aerith nodded as she let go of her father's paw, allowing him to walk inside. As he entered, Hunter smiled as he caught sight of Cynder, who was sleeping soundly, her head resting on her paws and a soft smile on her maw. The bandages on her paws and body were falling off slightly, but were still painted a slight red from her injuries. He didn't want to wake her from the dream she was having, but he knew that he could not waste any of the precious time they needed for her training.

"Mmm… Spyro…" she mumbled in her sleep as Hunter took a step closer, making him smile at the love in Cynder's voice.

As he got closer, a floorboard creaked under his paw as he took another step, causing him to wince nervously, holding a gasp in his throat. Suddenly, Cynder's eyes snapped open, before she immediately leapt off the bed in a frantic blur. She slammed Hunter to the ground, pinning him. He took a split second to recover from the heavy hit, head stinging due to it being ploughed into the wooden floor from the force of Cynder's push. As he recovered, his vision cleared, seeing Cynder standing over him, fangs bared and a harsh snarl rumbling from her throat, a ferocious look in her eyes.

"CYNDER! CYNDER, IT'S ME!" Hunter insisted, trying desperately to roll out from underneath her, eyes wide and panicked. "IT'S HUNTER!"

Cynder's snarl suddenly disappeared, and a look of regret and remorse filled her expression. She quickly jumped off of him, backing away and leaning against the bed.

"H-H-Hunter…?" she stammered with a quivering voice, her breathing quick and sharp. "A-Are you okay?"

"I am unharmed, the question is… are _you _alright?" Hunter asked her, straightening his cloak and pulling himself up. "You must've had quite the scare to react that violently."

"Yeah… sorry… I guess I was scared that… Mortem came for me…" Cynder mumbled, her eyes full of worry and fear. "I am so paranoid about it right now. I was dreaming about Spyro and… and being hearing creaking floorboards… it scared me so much I guess it brought me from my sleep."

Hunter opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a small whimper. His heart caught in his throat as he whirled around, seeing Aerith standing in the doorway, paws balled into fists against her chest as if it were an attempt to still her frantically beating heart. Tears streamed down her face, terrified from seeing the dragon she was so excited to see tackle her father to the ground, looking ready to end his life then and there. Her face was scrunched up in raw emotion as she fought against the hot, salty tears welling up in her eyes.

Quick as a flash, Hunter rushed to his child, arms outstretched, bringing her into a safe, comforting hug; a hug that only a father could give. His eyes were wide and he fought for breath as he tried to piece together what was going on. Aerith quickly crumpled into his hold, letting the emotions free as she sobbed fearfully. She was such a little cub, still fresh to the world. Such a display of hostility would've been _horrifying_ for her. Hunter tried shushing her, rubbing her back comfortingly.

He heard Cynder give a shattered sob behind him, causing him to turn around and see Cynder also beginning to break down. She held a paw over her maw in shock, tears running down her face, eyes glistening with moisture and bloodshot. She was hyperventilating, breathing heavily and rapidly to try and keep her sobs at a minimum, knowing that she could scare the little cub further if she let out a loud sob as she knew she very well could.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Cynder cried. "I didn't mean it! I didn't mean to scare you Aerith! I… I… I'm so s-s-sorry!"

Hunter just nodded, and he knew Cynder got his message due to the forgiveness in his eyes as he kept his gaze locked on the dragoness. His voice however, was focused on his child, shushing her and speaking comforting words to her to help calm her down.

"You're gonna be fine, honey," Hunter said soothingly. "It's all fine. I'm fine. You don't have to worry."

"B-b-b-but sh-sh-she…" Aerith stammered.

"It's okay, Aerith. It's okay. Cynder's just stressed and worried right now. She thought I was someone else," Hunter explained.

"But it was scary!"

"I know. I know it was. Dragons can be scary creatures. But, they can also be the kindest, most gentlest creatures in the world," Hunter said, ending the hug before grabbing a hold of his daughter's paw. "Come on, you wanted to talk to her didn't you? You wanted to know how dragons can fly."

"What if she hurts me?"

"She won't, moonshine. She won't. She's safe. Come on, let's go talk to her."

"O-o-okay…"

Slowly and carefully, Hunter stood and began to lead Aerith towards Cynder, holding her paw gently. Aerith however, gripped onto her father's paw with a lot more force, digging her tiny little claws into his flesh. Cynder in the meantime sat down carefully, lowering her head as to not make herself look too intimidating.

Very soon they were standing face-to-face. Aerith raised a shaky, cautious paw and placed it on the front of Cynder's snout, looking deep into her teary emerald eyes.

"Wh-wh-why are _you_ c-c-c-crying, Mrs Cynder?" Aerith asked.

"Because I scared you, little one," Cynder said softly. "I didn't mean to scare you, or hurt your daddy. I'm sorry, Aerith."

"It's… It's okay…" Aerith said slowly, using her free paw to wipe her eyes.

"See, Aerith? There's no reason to be afraid," Hunter said softly, a calm smile on his lips.

"Mmm…" Aerith mumbled, before she felt the need to ask a question that was forming in her mind. "But… she looked scary. Are all dragons scary?"

"Not at all Aerith, us dragons can be scary creatures sometimes. We're big and have lots of sharp teeth and claws. But a lot of the time we're very friendly and nice to be around," Cynder explained. "I'm sorry I scared you, but I'm the friendly dragon now. I'm your friend. You don't have to fear me."

Aerith just nodded and gave a small smile. Hunter sighed, knowing that she was starting to come around to the large dragoness once more. He was worried that the scare would put her off being around dragons for good.

"She's been so looking forward to see you all morning, Cynder," Hunter said.

"Has she?" Cynder asked in surprise.

"Indeed she has, and I think now that you have told her what dragons are like, I think Aerith forgives you for that little scare. Isn't that right, moonshine?"

Aerith looked up at her father, before looking back into Cynder's drying eyes and nodding with intent, a neutral expression painted on her face. Cynder smiled at this, thanking the ancestors that she hadn't scared the cub too much.

"She actually had a dream last night of flying on a dragon," Hunter said.

"Really?" Cynder questioned.

"Yeah," Aerith muttered. "Yeah I did."

"Can I hear what it was like?" Cynder asked, making Aerith step forward a little.

"Well… we flew above the clouds and I could see my Mummy from the sky. I waved down to her and I could see the entire village."

"I see, that sounds like a wonderful dream," Cynder smiled gently, an idea brewing in her head. "Did you… Did you wanna go flying? For real?"

Aerith's eyes lit up at this, and she looked to her father, the question for permission glistening in her eyes. Hunter just nodded, and finally the wide smile returned slowly to the cub's face.

"Yes please!" she exclaimed.

"I would like to go too," Hunter chuckled. "Flying can be pretty scary for someone your age Aerith, and I would also like to see the world through a dragon's eyes."

"As scary as Cynder?" Aerith asked, but Hunter and Cynder knew it was not out of spite due to the smile on her face.

"No, not as scary as Cynder," Hunter replied. "But still scary; we are up pretty high in the air after all."

"I know! That's why I wanted to go! I might see a rainbow!" Aerith exclaimed, making both Hunter and Cynder smile at her imagination.

"Well, let's go make your dream come true shall we?"

"Yeah!"

Cynder made her way out of the shelter and led them outside. She waved for Aerith and Hunter to make their way over, and lowered herself so that her underbelly was touching the ground. Hunter lifted Aerith onto Cynder's back, hopping on himself and wrapping his arms around a buzzing Aerith.

"Are you ready?" Cynder asked them.

"Yeah!" Aerith replied, raising her paws in the air.

"Hold on tight!"

Within a second, Cynder flapped her wings and launched herself into the air, Aerith holding tightly onto her horns and yelping at the force of the sudden jolt into the air. Further and further up they flew, Hunter and Aerith shouting in triumph as they enjoyed their first experience of being in the air. Cynder took them above the clouds, the cool fresh air breezing against their faces. The sun smothered them in its blaze as they flew, filling Aerith's eyes. The little cheetah's dream was coming true, her heart pounding out of her chest as she smiled with delight. Cynder giggled at the little cub's actions, basking in the fact that she managed to make her smile.

"Do a flip!" Aerith shouted, clapping her paws.

"Oh no, moonshine. I think breakfast will disappear from my- WOOAHHHHH!"

Suddenly, Cynder jolted up in the air, starting to turn upside down and gaining speed. Aerith screamed with delight as her father tried to keep this morning's breakfast inside of his stomach. Cynder began to level out after completely her loop in the air, feeling slightly proud of herself for pulling it off.

"That was so cool!" Aerith screamed in delight. "Do it again!"

"No… I think… gah… that's enough tricks for today…" Hunter groaned, clutching his stomach and chuckling nervously.

Cynder laughed at Hunter's actions and flew on further, making sure to keep within distance of the cheetah village. Aerith let go of Cynder's horns, placing her arms either side of her like wings from an aeroplane. Hunter made sure to keep a firm hold of her, but smiled sweetly as his daughter lived her dream.

"Look Daddy! I'm flying!" she exclaimed in delight, making her father chuckle but tighten his grip on her.

"Indeed you are Aerith," Hunter replied. "Is this everything you hoped it would be?"

"Yeah, it's amazing! I never knew the world was so _big_!" Aerith exclaimed. "It must be so good being able to fly and seeing this all the time!"

"It does have its moments," Cynder smiled, staring at the world below her.

"Dragons are really cool! They can fly and do all sorts of amazing things!" Aerith shouted. "I wanna know more about dragons, Daddy!"

"Well, how about asking those questions you wanted to ask Cynder?" Hunter suggested.

Aerith gasped, the little cub's brain only just making the connection, before she began to bombard the black dragoness with questions.

"Where do dragons live? What types of things do they do? What types of games do you play? Are there kids to play with?"

"Hold on, moonshine! One question at a time!" Hunter laughed, patting Aerith on the back softly to calm her down.

"I can probably answer most of those questions anyway," Cynder replied. "So uh… we kinda live all over the place. There are many dragon cities scattered around the world, but the main one is Warfang. Is the capital city of all dragons and that's where myself and Spyro live. You can actually get there from _your_ home through an old underground passage. There are some cheetahs that live in Warfang too, as well as some creatures named moles."

Aerith's eyes growing ever wider in amazement, her little heart beating with excitement as she heard that multiple creatures were living inside of this city.

"What are the moles like?!" she asked Cynder with intrigue.

"Now moles are very different from you and me. They have much longer snouts and very bad eyesight so they rely on their senses. Funnily enough, they taught myself and Spyro how to rely on our senses too, and it gave us the upper hand in most battles. They have three small claws on their hands and feet and they're much smaller than us. You see, dragons grow much faster than moles so that is why they are so small as children and as adults. At one point, I was smaller than your daddy. About chest height I'd say," Cynder explained.

Aerith suddenly looked over at the father, finding it hard to believe how Cynder could have ever been smaller than Hunter.

"My daddy was taller than you?! Wow!" Aerith said, looking back and forth between the dragon beneath her and her father who was smiling sweetly at his daughter's intrigue.

"There are also plenty of creatures your age too. Most of them are hatchlings, but some are cheetah cubs and young moles, but they all like the same things. I teach some of them at home, usually the hatchlings how to fly."

"This place sounds awesome! Can we go someday?" Aerith asked her father who chuckled at her excitement.

"If your mother allows it and Chief Prowlus does not need me on watch, then yes," Hunter answered with a smile. "It'd be great to visit Warfang again anyway; it's been _years_ since I last visited."

Clover thought for a moment, staring back at Cynder's wings and then at the ground below, remembering the question that she wanted to ask.

"How do dragons fly?" Aerith asked with enthusiasm.

Cynder chuckled in response, thinking how exactly to answer the cub's question.

"Well… dragons do not learn it straight away; they learn it over time and it takes a lot of effort," Cynder explained. "But, usually it begins by flapping your wings to a degree that it lifts you off the ground. You don't need to flap your wings to keep yourself in the air however, you can glide, which is something that dragons tend to do to rest their wings for a bit. But there are also other things that we need to watch out for, such as the direction of the wind and how strong it is."

Aerith listened intently, taking in every word. She was fascinated by dragons, and this just fueled her fascination ever more. Suddenly, she felt a small chill come over her, Hunter too was beginning to feel the effects of high altitudes. Cynder looked back, seeing the two cheetahs shivering a little.

"We'd better head back now," Cynder said. "It's starting to get a little bit cold up here. Plus, your daddy and I have a bit of work to do."

"Aww, do we _have_ to go back?" Aerith complained. "It's so amazing up here! I love it!"

"Tell you what, next time we see each other I can take you on another flight. How does that sound?"

"Yes please!"

"Alright, moonshine," Hunter replied with a chuckle. "Calm yourself now, we don't want to make Cynder lose her balance."

"It's alright, Hunter. I've had hatchlings crash into me while learning to fly. A bit of excitement from a cheetah cub doesn't bother me at all," Cynder explained. "Plus, I'm happy that she's enjoying it. It's making me enjoy flying a lot more too. Flying is honestly something most dragons take for granted after they've been doing it for years on end like I have. It's great to enjoy it once more and live through it again, fresh with the eyes of a child. Especially given how my childhood was like."

Hunter murmured in agreement. Aerith, however, had caught onto Cynder's last sentence and was immediately filled with the innocent curiosity of a child.

"Childhood? What was Mrs Cynder's childhood like?" she questioned.

There was a bit of a hesitant pause between Cynder and Hunter, knowing that trying to explain Cynder's childhood would be too frightening and possibly scarring for the little cub. Hunter quickly took it into his own paws, trying to speak softly and gently the way only a father could.

"Well, moonshine… Cynder didn't exactly have the best childhood," he explained slowly and carefully. "She wasn't gifted with a lot of the things you have. It wasn't a very happy childhood."

"Didn't she have a mummy and daddy to help make her feel better? Like you do with me?" Aerith questioned.

"No, moonshine. Cynder didn't have a mummy _or_ daddy."

Aerith went quiet after this, before she wriggled herself out of her father's hold and lowered her torso down to Cynder's back, lying down upon it and wrapping her tiny arms around as much of Cynder's body as she could, giving her an innocent, apologetic hug.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Cynder. I didn't know. I don't know what it'd be like having no mummy or daddy, but I know I would be sad if I didn't have them. Do you still have no mummy or daddy?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah," Cynder replied. "I still don't have a mummy or daddy."

"That sounds awful, are _you _sad?"

"Umm… yeah. But not over that though. I've been going through some other problems that have made me sad. But don't worry about me; I'm fine. You're making me happy right now, Aerith."

"That's good. Being happy is always good. No one should be sad."

Cynder just nodded, mumbling in agreement. She couldn't help but think about Spyro again, and a soft sigh left her maw. However, her thoughts were interrupted as Aerith let out a loud shout.

"Look, I see Mummy!"

Cynder and Hunter looked down to where Aerith was looking as they began to close in on the cheetah village, seeing Clover standing outside and washing dirty tunics in a large soapy bucket. Clover looked up, hearing Aerith's exclamation, before waving at her. Cynder slowed down, stretching her paws as she landed, lowering herself down to her belly to allow Hunter and Aerith to get down. Aerith ran over to her mother, leaping into her arms and giggling wildly.

"Mummy! I flew! Did you see me? I flew!" Aerith shouted in triumph, hugging her mother tightly.

"I saw! You looked like you were having fun!" Clover laughed, spinning around while lifting Aerith in the air.

Cynder and Hunter smiled at the two cheetahs before them, laughing and giggling.

"Thank you Cynder," Hunter said to her. "You just made my little girl's dream come true."

Cynder felt tears well in her eyes. Although her heart was hurting from Spyro's sickness, helping a young cub, who had barely begun her life, live her dream was the greatest feeling of happiness she had felt over the last few days.

"It's my pleasure Hunter," she replied with a smile.

Hunter stared at his family, a broad smile emerging and a tear in his eye. His daughter was beaming after the thrill of the flight, her eyes shining as the sun reflected in them. His own heart was racing from it. It had been an amazing, beautiful sight, seeing the world from above the sky. To Aerith however, it would've been a dream come true. Being so young and still so fresh to the world, to be able to see the great expanse of it in the way she did, it was quite the special experience for a young cub such as herself. Hunter felt so proud of his daughter, who was still hugging her mother. She was such a happy little cub and was very interested in many things.

He loved Aerith with every fibre of his being. His daughter meant everything to him. Seeing her so happy and her dream come true made his heart swell. He almost wondered if he was even happier than she was.

"So, Aerith, we'd better let Hunter and Cynder be now," Clover said softly to Aerith.

"Aww, why?"

"Well they have to do some training, and it'd be safer for you if you weren't nearby. Plus, we have our own job to do. We have to get you a new tunic after you ruined it playing in the mud a few days ago."

"But it was raining and everything was wet! And all the other cubs were playing in the mud too!" Aerith complained.

"I know, Aerith," Clover replied. "Come on, it'll be over soon. We might even get back in time to see Cynder again."

"Oh, okay."

"You'd better listen to your mother, little one," Cynder chuckled. "Have fun. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Mrs Cynder!" Aerith farewelled as Clover began to walk off towards the markets, trying to pull her along. "Thanks for the flight!"

"My pleasure. I'd love to take you on more!"

Aerith let out a cheer of delight, before running forward to catch up with her mother. Hunter just chuckled at Aerith's enthusiasm and energy.

"Kids," he said. "So full of energy. You gotta love them for it."

Cynder nodded. The energy and optimism that kids had seemed to be contagious. It was hard not to be sad or upset around them unless it was a _very_ bad day. Once more she found herself longing to have her own children. It'd definitely be something to talk to Spyro about once he was free from Mortem.

_If_ he ever got free that is.

She stared down at her bandages, their fabrics starting to come off, trailing down her leg. Using her teeth, she wrapped it round her leg, grimacing as she felt a twinge of pain from tightening it. Sighing, she turned back towards Hunter and rotated her head, making her neck click.

"Well, I guess we should probably start training then," Cynder piped up, trying to get her mind off Spyro and Mortem, as well as trying to begin work on the solution. "If I'm going to try and save Spyro I'm gonna need as much training as I can get."

"Indeed, let us begin," Hunter said, throwing a small rock at her..

"OW! What was that for?!" Cynder exclaimed, rubbing the side of her face.

"The element of surprise," Hunter replied. "You let your guard down and that can make subjectable to attacks Cynder. You must be ready at all times."

"You sound like Spyro."

"Then he must know what he's doing, how often does he train?"

"Whenever he can, usually I have to teach hatchlings how to fly so… I usually don't have the time to."

"Well, we have a lot of work to do. Come along, Cynder."

Hunter led Cynder through the village, cheetahs greeting them as they walked past. Although Cynder was on edge, most cheetahs gave her a wave and a thanks for saving their world. There wasn't a single one that gave her the cold shoulder, or shouted her name in hatred. It was almost like home.

They wandered through the streets and into a large open area, filled with bokken-wielding cheetahs. They chanted as an order was given, striking their wooden weapons against another's opposite them. They suddenly stopped as Hunter and Cynder got closer, putting their bokkens to their sides and standing straight with their paws behind their backs.

"Ah! Hunter! You have returned," said a familiar voice. "And it seems like you have company."

Cynder knew the voice instantly, her mind filling with memories of the fight that herself and Spyro fought to protect the village. The voice she heard was Chief Prowlus'. He was standing opposite her with a smile on his face, taking each stop slowly and nodding to each student.

"May I say how wonderful it is to see you again Cynder," Prowlus smiled, eyes sparkling with a newfound appreciation for her. "Seems you have grown quite a bit since our last encounter, but my respect for you also has grown significantly after you saved the lands."

"Well… it wasn't just me, my husband did most of it," Cynder chuckled nervously.

"Ah yes... that being said, I am glad that you and Spyro found more than just friendship with each other. In a way, it is kind of heartwarming."

Cynder blushed at Prowlus' words, bowing her head to hide it.

"Hunter has brought me up to speed on everything that you have been through, and your current objective," Prowlus explained, eyeing her bandages. "You were also in quite the state. If it wasn't for the quick actions of Hunter, Clover and my wife Rosie, we may have lost you."

"Yeah… I got quite the beating…" Cynder mumbled, feeling slightly ashamed that she was dragged in such a state.

"Well… let's make sure that never happens again shall we?" Prowlus smirked. "Students! Pay attention! Hunter, would you mind?"

"Not at all," Hunter shrugged, taking a bokken from one of the students.

"Now Cynder, we're going to test your awareness in battle. We're going to come at you from angles you least expect, so make sure you stay on guard," Prowlus explained, getting a nod from Cynder.

Bringing herself into the battle ready position, Cynder focused on the cheetahs in front of her, her eyes narrow and her muscles tensed. She made sure to keep her tailblade flat as to not injure them. Prowlus and Hunter stood side-by-side, bokkens ready, determined grins on their faces. Although this was only a training session, they knew that it would be entertaining to say the least. Especially for Prowlus.

Without warning, Prowlus made the first move, closing the gap between him and Cynder faster than she expected. She stepped back, albeit a bit clumsily, and the wooden sword smacked against Cynder's leg, removing some of the bandages that were hanging by a thread. She growled, swinging her paw towards Prowlus, but he dropped to the ground, the paw soaring over his head. Swiftly, he got himself onto his paws and whacked Cynder with the bokken again, stepping back out of her reach and making her growl in annoyance.

"Come on, Cynder! Focus!" Prowlus shouted.

"I'm trying!" Cynder retorted.

She saw in the corner of her eye more movement as Hunter moved towards her, as well as two other cheetahs, all wielding bokkens. One of the cheetah students, a tall, buff, red-furred one, got to her first, attempting to land a strike. She stepped back, keeping her footing careful and firm, before stepping to the side as Hunter tried to lunged into her side, bokken outstretched. The second cheetah student, a small blue-furred one, was right behind her, and he took his chance to smack her in the flank.

She recoiled, letting out a roar as she swiped at the blue-furred cheetah, finally scoring a hit as he was ploughed to the ground. Three more cheetah students came rushing at her, followed by Prowlus. Cynder knocked two students to the ground with a sweep of her tail, throwing their legs out from underneath them. Prowlus and the other student, yellow-furred with a scar over his right eye, acted quickly as they jumped over Cynder's tail. She quickly dodged a swing from Prowlus, but walked right into striking distance of the yellow-furred student, allowing him to poke her in the ribs with the wooden tip of his weapon.

"You're too slow, you think before you act! Use your instincts!" Prowlus ordered, circling her as Cynder calmed herself down. "Clear your mind, feel the earth beneath your feet."

"I'm trying!" Cynder scowled.

"Not hard enough!" Hunter roared from behind her, leaping down from a tree he had climbed, landing on her back.

Cynder growled as she tried to buck him off, but Hunter held on with a firm grip, poking her twice in the shoulder blades with his bokken. With one mighty flick of her body, she finally threw Hunter off her as he tumbled into the ground, but was then attacked by two of the students. She shuffled backwards, dodging each of the students' thrusts, before she knocked them to the ground with a swipe of her mighty paw.

"Getting better, but you still need practice," Prowlus taunted.

"You don't think I know that?!" Cynder retorted.

"Are you sure? After all, I'm still on my paws! You haven't knocked me to the ground _once_!"

"But I _will_ do it, I promise you!"

"Well put your money where your snout is and do it!"

"Stop taunting me!"

"_Pay attention_!"

A blunt arrow struck her in the face, forcing a low, frustrated growl out of her. She looked towards where the arrow came from, seeing Hunter standing a few metres back with his bow aimed at her. He whipped out another arrow, nocking it to the bowstring and drawing back, aiming carefully at her. Letting out a roar, Cynder lunged at Hunter, eyes wild with anger. Prowlus quickly slapped her in the wrist with his bokken, throwing her balance off and sending her crashing into the ground. She hissed furiously, recoiling as Hunter released another blunt arrow at her, bouncing into her forehead once more.

"Cynder, you need to control yourself!" Prowlus yelled.

"SHUT UP! STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!" Cynder screamed.

"_Use_ your anger! Don't let it use _you_!" Prowlus growled. "The reason why you keep getting hit is because you are getting _blinded_ by your anger and you can't register things properly! _Use_ your anger to power your every strike!"

"I'M TRYING!" Cynder roared, before another arrow struck her in the face. "STOP IT!"

Prowlus yet again hit her paw with his bokken, forcing yet another snarl out of her throat.

"In a regular battle, your enemy would not stop. In fact, they'd keep going until you were dead," Hunter said darkly as he knocked a fourth arrow to the bowstring.

Cynder suddenly felt a heavy weight on her back as all the students climbed on top of her, poking her back with their weapons. She gave a heavy, angry puff, before trying to use her anger to strengthen her muscles and push herself up. She let out irritated, yet rhythmic breaths, trying to calm her wild, hazy vision, and to direct her anger to her limbs, not her head. Prowlus was right, she was letting her anger consume her and she couldn't think straight.

She finally stood up, before she thrashed about, knocking every student off her back, sending them crashing with a thud on the ground. Once more, Hunter shot an arrow in her direction, but this time she was prepared. She felt energised, her head moving upon her neck, sliding out of the way of the incoming projectile.

Prowlus surged forward, his bokken ready to smack her square in the jaw. Cynder, expecting this movement, spun round, maneuvering around the bokken and swiping Prowlus' legs out from underneath him with her tail. He landed with a thud onto the ground, a smile on his face as he chuckled. Hunter shot yet another arrow at her, this time being caught by Cynder with her paw, mere metres from her face. She moved her eyes over to Hunter, who smirked at her expression. It was determined and concentrated, an exact image of the Cynder that he had met twenty years ago. She flexed her paw, snapping the arrow in half.

"I think our work here is done," Prowlus said, wiping his paws and straightening his cloak.

"It would seem so," Hunter replied, placing his bow over his shoulder. "You did well Cynder, once you got up to speed."

"I guess I did," Cynder chuckled, slightly out of breath. "I'm sorry for… losing it."

"All you need to remember, is to channel that anger to your body," Prowlus reminded her, pointing to her chest. "Not your head."

"I understand."

"Good," Prowlus replied. "Now, I suggest we all get some rest after that. I for one would love something to eat."

"You and me both," Cynder added, turning her gaze to her bandages. "I think my bandages need replacing too."

"Very well, head on back with Hunter and get some rest. Students! You are now dismissed!"

"Yes, Chief Prowlus!" they all said in unison, each one giving a small bow and then all heading off to the main hall.

Prowlus bowed in respect and turned towards the hall, leaving Hunter and Cynder alone.

"Well… that went well," Hunter smirked.

"Yeah, I don't know why but… I feel much better, I feel like myself again," Cynder nodded.

"That's what we wanted to hear," Hunter smiled. "Come on, let's get you some food and those bandages sorted out."

Hunter led Cynder back into the medical shelter, soon bringing her a plate of venison meat and some berries. She gobbled it down in mere seconds, grinning as she swallowed her last mouthful. She felt accomplished and prepared, knowing that she had a fighting chance of saving Spyro now that she had regained her lost strength. Suddenly, the door opened, revealing the form of Clover who was carrying a bowl of water and some cloth.

"How are you feeling, Cynder?" she asked with a smile.

"Much better now that I've eaten," Cynder replied.

"You seem happier, now let's get these bandages off you."

Clover unravelled the bandages from Cynder's arms before dipping the cloth into the bowl, wetting it with water. Delicately, she dabbed Cynder's cuts, removing the dried blood that surrounded them. While Clover moved onto her hind leg, Cynder's thoughts began to revolve around Spyro once more, longing swelling up in her heart as she started at the wall. She thought back to before Mortem began his rampage on his mind, when Spyro was happy. Their relationship had been progressing really well, and it had even gotten to the point where hatchlings had been brought up. Cynder still wanted them, but she knew that Spyro was plagued with self-doubt. Would he be ready when he was freed from Mortem, if ever? She knew he was extremely nervous. To be honest, she had some nerves about her too when it came to the topic, but she felt deep in her heart that she was ready.

Questions continued burning in her mind about the topic. Would she be a good mother? Should Spyro's nerves be something to worry about? So many questions pressed down on her, and she needed someone to talk to about them. Clover was a mother, a _new_ one at that. Maybe she could ask _her_?

"Hey Clover? Can I ask you something?" Cynder asked, twiddling her claws.

"Of course."

"How did Hunter react when you told him you were expecting?" Cynder enquired.

"Well… he was very surprised at first and he was very worried that he wouldn't be good enough for the job," Clover explained, her words sounding very similar to Cynder. "But when the time came, he found something inside himself that he never knew was there."

"Right…"

"Why'd you ask?"

"It's… complicated," Cynder mumbled.

"I've got time."

Cynder cleared her throat and thought of how to explain the constant questions that ran through her mind.

"Spyro and I have been together for quite a while and… we began to bring up the idea of raising our own children," Cynder explained, receiving excited expressions from Clover.

"That's great!" Clover exclaimed.

"But… he doesn't think that he's ready. I keep telling him that I think he'd do great… but he is so sure that he won't and he'll mess up or something."

"Being a parent is tough, but it doesn't mean it'll be without reward. There are highs and lows. Hunter was pretty nervous as well. I remember him telling me that with all the experience he's had in tough times like the war and all that, nothing ever prepared him for raising a child. He was also worried that with all the fighting he did in the war, as well as super taxing training, he would end up being a harsh father. But love comes first and it's made him the kindest man ever. I mean, you saw how he was with Aerith."

"Yeah. Yeah, I did. He does so well with her, making sure she's happy and all that."

"Exactly. You and Spyro just have to do what's right, treat them well, and make sure they remain the happiest little thing ever. Of course, you'll have your fights with your kids, but you gotta learn to continue loving them, unconditionally. Parenthood was never going to be easy."

Cynder nodded in reply, sighing sadly.

"I just wish there was more I could do to boost Spyro's confidence. I'm also worried he'll lose even more of it after this whole Mortem thing," she mumbled.

"Just stay strong, keep your faith in him high, and make sure he knows he's loved and doing well," Clover said. "Encouragement sounds like something he will need. Also, let him know what I said about the hatchling thing. No parent is ever ready. No parent could ever prepare for what a child could bring. If he's nervous, then that's perfect. Most fathers are. _Hunter_ was. Just be there for him. That's the best thing you can do."

"Thanks, Clover," Cynder replied with a smile. "It means a lot."

Clover smiled sweetly and continued tending to her unbandaged wounds, stopping as a thought entered her mind. She stared back up at Cynder after washing her leg wound, her eyes glazed with intrigue.

"Can I ask you something?" Clover asked.

"Sure," Cynder replied, shrugging.

"What would you prefer? A boy or a girl?" Clover asked cheekily, awaiting the answer.

"Oh… um… well… I wouldn't care what gender it is, I'd just be happy to have a child in the first place and I wouldn't love it any less," Cynder explained. "But… if I had a choice, preferably a girl."

"Interesting, has Spyro told you which one he would prefer?"

"He said the same thing, but I reckon he would want a boy. Just so he could play stupid games with him," Cynder laughed, causing Clover to giggle at her words.

"Well, one thing is for sure. The bond between you and Spyro is very strong," Clover said, earning a blush from Cynder.

"People keep saying it so it must be true," Cynder chuckled, trying to hide her blush. "All I know is that I love him and I don't want to lose him."

Clover put the cloth back into the bowl and looked carefully at Cynder's cuts, now healing and far less inflamed. She dried Cynder's scales with a soft towel, before standing.

"Your wounds have healed very well, look as though you don't need the bandages anymore," Clover stated, making Cynder smile with relief.

"Thank the ancestors for that," Cynder sighed. "You have no idea how uncomfortable they were."

"I can imagine. Now, it's getting late so you better get some rest. You've got a long journey ahead of you from what I've heard," Clover said, staring out of the window at the sunset.

Cynder nodded and laid herself down as Clover turned and began to exit the shelter, being stopped by the sound of Cynder's voice.

"Hey, Clover?"

"Yes Cynder?"

"Thank you, not only for healing me but… for the advice."

"It's my pleasure."

With that, Clover left the shelter and Cynder alone. Her mind was racing with thoughts and questions about what Clover had just said. Although Spyro thought that he wasn't ready, Cynder knew that he would be up to the challenge. But she had to focus on the task at paw. Spyro's life counted on it, counted on her.

"I will save you Spyro," Cynder promised him, clutching her amethyst necklace. "Sleep tight, I love you."

Cynder laid her head onto her paws and closed her eyes. A sweet, familiar voice filling her mind, almost seeming real.

"_I love you too…"_

Cynder drifted off into a peaceful sleep, a smile plastered on her maw as she dreamed of a hatchling in her arms, and Spyro safely by her side.

* * *

**Whoo! Another chapter done! This took way too long. I'm sorry about the late update as well. I suffered from writer's block for a week and went through a tough time. But I'm back now and cannot wait to write the next chapter. Hope you guys all enjoyed this chapter, and leave a review of what you thought. Thanks again for all of the follows and favourites that you guys are leaving. It means the world.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… signing off ^_^**


	16. CH14: The Heart of a Guardian

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. The last one was received very well and I'm glad that you guys enjoyed it. Thanks for all of the amazing messages and well wishes that some of you left in your reviews. It means the world to me and it helped more than you know. I hope you guys had an amazing Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks to all of my frequent reviewers:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- TARDIS**

**Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and leave a review of how I could improve and also what you thought. Hope you guys enjoy it. Now without further ado…**

**Let the story continue…**

* * *

**The Heart of a Guardian**

Nothing but the turning of a page was heard in the guardian's chambers as Volteer read. He sat on his haunches, leaning on the table in front of him and barely able to keep his drooping eyes open. The electric guardian had remained awake for most of the night, scanning through all of the books on the shelves in an attempt to find out anything else about Mortem and his past. Throwing the book back onto the table, Volteer cursed and buried his face in his paws. He had never felt so helpless, so stupid. Spyro was lying behind him, sweating and soaked in his own urine. It made Volteer's heart drop and a feeling of failure flood his mind.

Knowing that he needed some air, Volteer made his way over to the window and opened it slightly, sighing as he felt fresh air whoosh over his face. Peering down, he noticed a dragon couple nuzzling one another and walking with their tails entwined. Although it warmed his heart to see this, he felt a sense of loneliness and singularity. His fellow guardians and Spyro now had mates, or at least had one in the past, but he'd never even had a proper girlfriend. He stared sadly at the sun, looking out over the world that Spyro had saved all those years ago.

"You'd better recover and recuperate soon Spyro," Volteer said aloud. "You have a wife to take care of."

He made his way back over towards Spyro, checking on him one last time before walking out of the chambers. The electric guardian strolled out of the temple and out onto the streets, noticing a few flowers had been placed just in front of the steps. Reading the labels, he noticed that they were from Inferno and Frisia, wishing Spyro a swift recovery and sending him their love. He smiled at their kindness and wandered on, nodding to the creatures who acknowledged him. Although they seemed happy, there was a twinge of worry in their eyes. Spyro's outburst had put thoughts into different creatures' heads, some of them rash and conclusive. Volteer knew that Spyro's condition would worsen as Mortem drills further into his mind, but he also knew that Spyro was strong and would do everything in his power to stop him.

Volteer made his way over to the market, peering at the collection of fruits and vegetables that lay before him. Although Volteer had no money with him at this present time, he loved looking at the different varieties and colours that were presented in front of him. Much like Cynder, this was one of his favourite places to go. Out of the corner of his eye however, he spotted a familiar dragoness with light blue scales and jagged tail-blade. He wandered over, tapping the dragoness lightly on the shoulder.

"Hello there," he said with a chuckle.

"I know that voice…"

Turning around, the dragoness revealed herself. It was Sapphire. She smiled sweetly, her eyes glazed with memories of a young electric dragon, trying to show off. When they were younger, Volteer tried to make as good of an impression as he could onto Sapphire, sometimes injuring himself in the process. Sapphire thought he was sweet at the time, but kept it under wraps as to not receive unwanted attention. Aside from professional meetings, Sapphire and Volteer had not had a proper conversation for almost fifty years.

"Been far too long since we've had a proper conversation Volteer," Sapphire said to him, raising an eyebrow.

"I suppose we have been far too occupied with our specific duties in society," Volteer shrugged, a smile forming on his maw.

They both smiled at each other before Sapphire lunged forward and pulled Volteer into a friendly hug, both chuckling and enjoying their reunion.

"How have you been?" Sapphire asked him, pulling out of the hug.

"I have been most satisfactory, usually having to put up with Cyril's irritating and annoying notions, but other than that bothersome cockroach, I've been most pleased and content," Volteer explained.

Sapphire, sitting on her haunches, crossed her forepaws and chuckled, shaking her head slightly.

"You haven't changed a bit," she smiled, causing Volteer to blush. "Still sounds like you've got a dictionary up your arse."

"Well, people keep stating that so it must be accurate."

Sapphire stared at the floor, her expression dropping a little in sadness.

"I've missed our conversations, we were so close at school and now we never get time to see one another, apart from when profession gets us together," Sapphire mumbled.

"You _were _always the one saying how much you wanted to grow up and be a medic," Volteer stated.

"Yeah but that was before I knew what would happen if I did go down that route," Sapphire replied. "I never get time to myself most days because usually I get called in and have to take care of people."

"Which you are very exceptional at, might I add," Volteer replied, making Sapphire blush and smile at his kindness.

"You really think so?"

"Of course, everyone in this city thinks so," Volteer exclaimed. "You've saved countless lives, including Cynder's when she had the flu. Not to mention Fang and of course Spyro's seizure."

Sapphire smiled at the electric guardian, before images of him as a youngling began appearing in her mind. She remembered how small he used to be as a hatchling. One thing that hadn't changed since then, however, was his spirit. Always charming and kind, never ceasing to smile.

"So, what are doing in the market? Getting anything special?" Volteer asked her with intrigue.

"Not really, just everyday medical supplies I'm afraid," Sapphire replied, pointing towards a specific stall.

"Would you like some company?" Volteer asked her, drawing a smile from the light blue dragoness in front of him.

"Love some."

Sapphire made her way over to the stall and bought a few herbs and a small basket of gems that she clutched with her paw.

"Have you purchased the right quantity?" Volteer asked with intrigue.

"Yep, that's all I needed," Sapphire replied. "Come on, let's head back and you tell me all about what being a guardian is like."

"I humbly accept that offer," Volteer bowed, following behind her.

Standing beside one another and engaged in deep conversation, the electric guardian and city nurse walked slowly and told each other of their past experiences. Volteer explained his guardianship and how boring it can be when Cyril delivers a speech. Sapphire listened with complete intrigue, taking in each word as if it was treasure.

"So, how long have you been a guardian?" Sapphire asked him as they sat next to the fountain.

"Almost forty-five years now," Volteer replied, scratching his chin. "Was hard work becoming one I will say but… I suppose it was… worth all that… trouble."

Volteer lowered his head, remembering the constant hurt and indignity he received as a young child. Going through the early years of his education, he never had a friend who could cheer him up after someone had hit him or stolen his homework. He spent most of his days alone, sitting in the library and finding new words that thrilled him and twisted his tongue.

"You okay?" Sapphire asked him.

"Just peachy thank you, couldn't be happier," Volteer lied, looking at the pavement.

"I know school was rough for you… but… if you don't mind, I want to know what you went through before all of that happened," Sapphire mumbled, grasping his paw.

"Well… it's an awfully long and upsetting process."

"That doesn't matter, I want to hear it," Sapphire insisted.

Volteer sighed and took a deep breath before beginning. He knew he wanted nothing to do with his past and memories that haunted him, promising himself to throw them away. But now, he was willing to make an exception.

"Well, to begin with, my father was a soldier for the army. He was a very proud soldier and extremely loyal to his fellow combatants and to his cause. My mother however, was kind and caring with a soft touch. She was also a healer, much like you in fact. Aside from all that, we were a very happy family, even in my early years as a hatchling I knew this. However, when armies began to attack, my father left to fight and never came home. My mother was a caring dragoness and loved myself and my father with all her heart, but after he didn't come home, it broke her to the point where she had no care for the world anymore. She was so overrun by grief that she fell ill, so ill in fact that she... took her own life.

"After that, I was left on my own and was sent to an orphanage where I spent most of my childhood being shunted and… abused just for being… myself. It was the same story at our school as well. I just didn't know why it had to be me. I didn't let that phase me however. I continued reading and learning different elements and… when it came to the exams I excelled remarkably, and even completed the physical elemental exams with ease, turning a few eyes in my direction I might add. After I while, I was taken here to Warfang and became an apprentice, alongside Cyril, Terrador and… Ignitus, who was the greatest out of all of us."

Sapphire sat there, speechless. Volteer had been through so much, yet he maintained a high array of happiness wherever he went. She was in complete awe of him, a change in her heart occurring as she felt herself staring. What was she feeling?

"Ancestors, Volteer… i-i-if I'd have known…" Sapphire gasped.

"Well I am most ecstatic at this point in time as I have finally come to terms with who I am and what my place is in this vast and enormous world we reside in," Volteer explained. "And I keep learning new things every day, but enough about me. What's your past?"

"Not much to tell I'm afraid, apart from that my parents were kind dragons and took care of me for quite a while; they're still living in the city actually. They're very supportive in everything that I do, and were very proud of me when I told them I was… getting married."

"You have a mate?" Volteer asked with intrigue.

"_Had_…" Sapphire replied sadly. "He was killed in the war by that… bastard Malefor..."

"It seems we have all suffered from that tyrant's hand… Please accept my condolences for your loss."

"That was over twenty years ago, Volteer. I'm fine. It still pains me to think of him, but… you just gotta move on, you know. It was only a little while after our marriage that he was killed. Just short of a year. Maybe the ancestors deemed it not to be… But who knows why things happen in this world? Seeing him lie there, bloodied, dying and unable to be helped… it sparked something in me. I was already out of my apprenticeship and a certified healer at the time, being just into my forties, but knowing that he was so far gone that I could not help him… it finally made me realise what my job was and how important it was.

"I knew people could die from wounds, but I'd never seen it happen. After realising what my job meant, I began to put everything on the line to help people. I sacrificed everything, to the point where as the war became worse and worse I literally started living in the infirmary because of how many patients were being brought in, and with how many things were going wrong with them. I lost hours of sleep, and I remember pulling several all-nighters to the point where I would collapse. I sacrificed _everything_ to keep people alive, so that no one would have to experience what I went through with my mate. I guess I'm grateful I'm one of the best healers in Warfang because of it, but I don't do this for fame or for the title. I do it to save people."

Volteer nodded, beaming inside at Sapphire's unbreakable pride and selflessness.

"I have known many dragons in my time Sapphire, only a fair few have I met that share the same pride and selflessness that you do. If you don't mind me inquiring this of you, what was your mate's name?" he asked.

"Daeryn. He was an ice dragon," Sapphire replied.

There was silence for a bit. Volteer just watched Sapphire carefully as she took some deep, heavy breaths. Her eyes shone with moisture, but not a single tear left them. She blinked furiously, swallowing her emotions, before she spoke up once more.

"All that matters is saving people. And right now, that means Spyro. He's in a very bad spot right now. I can help him physically, but I can't do a thing about what's going on inside him. Spiritually. Magically. I don't know enough in that field. I just wish there was more I could do to help him," Sapphire murmured.

"Do not fret about Spyro, Sapphire. He's strong and he is a formidable fighter, so if anyone can get rid of this demon, it's him. If you ever desire assistance or support, I'll be pleased and willing to try and do so. You can ask for help if you need to. You don't have to do it all alone and unaccompanied," Volteer offered.

"Thanks, Volteer," Sapphire responded, turning and giving him a small smile. "Thanks for putting up with my spiel. I don't usually talk about Daeryn, nor about that dark time of my life."

"It's perfectly alright, Sapphire. Don't fret about such matters. I thank you in return for listening to my story as well."

"Hey… um… can you… walk with me? Back to the infirmary?" Sapphire asked tentatively, rubbing the back of her neck with a paw.

"It would be my pleasure," Volteer replied with a smile, pushing himself onto all fours.

Sapphire and Volteer made their way back to the infirmary, engaging in deep conversation and catching up on further past events, those of which were more light-hearted than the topics they had spoken about earlier. Volteer was glad that he escaped his solitary place in the temple, he felt free now that he was out in the fresh air of the world. It was a welcome change of scenery, and although he was very worried about Spyro, it was also good to be away from the stench that he was giving off. He'd been sweating almost non-stop since the night Mortem took control of his body during the freedom anniversary celebration, and being unable to get up and go to the bathroom to relieve himself, he frequently ended up getting both himself and his bedsheets covered in urine. He'd been quite a mess as of recently, and the guardians had all taken turns cleaning up after him. None of them were used to having to treat him like a newborn, but he was physically incapable of looking after himself, especially as he was fighting his own battle with Mortem inside his head.

Volteer prayed to the ancestors that Spyro would get better and be his old self again. But he knew deep down that it would not be an easy challenge to overcome.

They arrived at the infirmary, and Sapphire gave Volteer a thankful, friendly smile as she stood in front of the doors, looking into each other's eyes.

"Thank you for walking me here, Volteer, as well as just… listening to me vent about Daeryn. It was uh… very nice of you," Sapphire said with gratitude.

"It was my pleasure to accompany you and to ensure that you were faring well," Volteer replied, smiling back at Sapphire.

"Thank you for that. I, uh… I hope we get to meet up more frequently. You know, outside of professional circumstances. I'd like to try and revive the friendship we used to have in school."

"So would I. Our friendship was once of the only ones I had. I'd like to become friends once again."

"Well, I guess we'll get to work on that. Anyway, I've got some patients waiting for me. I'll see you later, Volteer."

"Alright. Goodbye, Sapphire."

With that, Sapphire walked into the infirmary, leaving Volteer standing outside, a wide smile on his face. He felt warm and gleeful, his heart beating wildly against his chest. It was good to be with Sapphire again, and to spark up their old friendship. Their own jobs had separated them significantly, making them forget about old memories due to how demanding they were. Even though they would later see more of each other, especially during the war, pressing matters and professional situations always got in the way of trying to be friends. He was annoyed that it had taken them twenty years of peace to get it started again, but, because of Spyro, they had at least achieved it. Sapphire was one of the few people he was comfortable around. She'd always tried to stick up for him when she caught him being bullied, and she was a good friend to him, even though they didn't meet up as frequently as most friend groups did. Although she had no knowledge as to what had happened with Volteer's parents, she felt she needed to do the right thing and help him. Volteer had never told anyone about it. Not even the other guardians knew he was an orphan. Ignitus didn't either. He'd kept it all to himself, hiding that dark part of his life from everyone. And now Sapphire was the first to learn of it.

However, it perplexed him how he was so open to her about his secret. It was like a hidden trust or connection that must have been outstanding since their friendship. Although the detail was not in full, especially when it came to his mother, he was still very open about it. _He_ was the one that found her dead body, and had put his everything into trying to wake her up, but with no success. Her throat had been cut open and spilling the same red liquid that stained her tailblade; he remembered the details vividly. But that didn't matter. The point was that he'd opened up to Sapphire, and he had no idea why it came to him to do that all of a sudden. Sapphire asked him to talk, and he could've easily refused, but he decided not to. Why? He didn't know. It didn't make sense. It had felt so awkward to be sitting next to Sapphire, telling her his deepest, darkest secrets.

Although that wasn't the only feeling he had felt when sitting next to her. It was hard to describe what it was, but it was like… a softness? A warm, cozy softness that set his heart alight, and with it, a hint of nervousness. He'd never felt that feeling before, but he remembered Spyro telling him all about it.

Volteer asked himself question after question, questioning the feelings that he felt. Could it be love? Could his heart finally be filled?

"No, it couldn't possibly be that," Volteer confirmed to himself as thought.

Walking away from the infirmary, Volteer battled with his mind, trying to find a theory other than love for his recent heart activity. But no matter how hard he tried to figure out a secondary reasoning for it, he could not come to a conclusion.

With a roll of his eyes, he decided to leave the topic behind him, knowing he had more important matters to deal with. Trying to find a way to cure Spyro from Mortem's hold was proving incredibly difficult. Hardly anything in his books had any valuable information on how to free someone from the hold of a dark ancestor. Then again, this _was_ a dark ancestor they were dealing with; there was very limited knowledge on the ancestors in any book. He just hoped that Spyro wasn't too badly hurt and wasn't deteriorating too much while he had left. Volteer needed to get back to Spyro.

Walking back through the streets, Volteer spied his fellow guardian Terrador, making his way past the stalls and towards the temple.

"Greetings Terrador!" Volteer greeted, jogging over towards Terrador.

"Hello Volteer," Terrador replied with a smile. "What brings you out here?"

"I wanted to get some fresh air from the chambers, Spyro's condition was not getting any better so I decided to take a walk and came across Sapphire," Volteer explained.

"Ah, you two were childhood friends am I correct?"

"Yes that's accurate, we have known each other for countless years but… never caught up on previous endeavors since we have only seen one another on business terms," Volteer explained further, Terrador smirking slightly. "She told me about how she managed to get to where she is now and was very happy to see me and have a proper engagement in conversation."

"Sounds like you have enjoyed yourself today," Terrador chuckled, knowing that what he was thinking may be true.

Volteer spied him suspiciously.

"Are you thinking that I will commence a relationship with Sapphire? If so, you are greatly mistaken, Terrador," Volteer mumbled.

"My old friend," Terrador chuckled. "I have known you far too long to tell when you are not being truthful. Besides, the signs are all there. You were passionate when you mentioned her name and your face seemed to light up at the very thought of her. Like I said before, the signs are indeed there."

"But… How do I commence further engagement with this sort of feeling? Yes I have knowledge on the academic science and elemental side of education, but the affairs of love? I haven't a single clue of how to approach the opposite sex," Volteer explained sadly, knowing that he was far out of his comfort zone.

"That will come in time Volteer," Terrador said softly. "You must be patient when you think that you are in love. You may feel love, but it must be shared between a dragon and dragoness over time. You must spend time with that dragoness, make her feel loved and she will love you in return. You must be brave Volteer, because love… is scary at first. But you will master it, much like you have mastered your element and of course… your guardianship."

"I understand," Volteer nodded.

The two guardians made their way up the steps and into the temple, engaged in conversation. Although Volteer knew nothing of how to approach his newly found love, it was something that he was relishing in, the chance to finally have someone by his side. For most of his life, he had been alone, only his friends to keep him company. But they too soon had mates, leaving him to his books and education. Soon though, he would cast out those feelings of loneliness, and try to commence a new chapter in his life.

As Volteer and Terrador made their way into the guardian's chambers, an expression of horror graced their faces. Spyro was cut, bruised and bleeding. His leg was twisted and broken, making Terrador gag at the sight. Spyro's breathing was laboured and hitched, his chest tightened and his scales painted red from the amount of blood that he had lost. The cuts across his chest and face were leaking blood, left open and leaving his flesh exposed. Volteer peered closer at Spyro's wrists, they had shackle-like scars around them, imprinted around his ankles also.

"What has this bastard done to him?!" Terrador hissed through his teeth, clenching his paws.

"I'm not sure Terrador, but we can concur from Spyro's injuries… Mortem is getting stronger…"

* * *

**Oooooo, a very concerning ending there. What's going to happen to Spyro? Is he going to get worse? Will Cynder make it to him in time? You'll have to wait and see I'm afraid. Again, thanks for the support that you guys have given me concerning my family and what has happened recently. I couldn't thank you guys enough for being the kindest people ever and just supporting me as I lost a person close to me. Again, thank you so much.**

**I also want to thank SKda for not leaving my side in whatever I do and practically being one of the greatest friends I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Thank you SKda, from the bottom of my heart… Thank you.**

**And… let's not forget Cheetah. She never leaves my side and does not judge. She is always there for me and I love her so much for everything she is and everything she will become. Thank you so much cheetah and I love you with all my heart.**

**Thank you guys for reading this chapter and I wish you all the best.**

**Hope you guys have an amazing Morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, SKda and Cheetah… signing off ^_^**


	17. CH15: Amethyst's Agony

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. The last chapter was received really well and I'm glad that you all enjoyed it. In this one however, some of you may find it hard to read at some points, due to the nature of the scenes in this chapter. In any case, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Thanks to all of my recent reviewers!:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- TARDIS  
\- Just Shooter**

**Hope you guys enjoy today's chapter and leave a follow to know when the next chapter is up and a review of what you thought and how I could improve. Now without further ado…**

**Let the story continue…**

**WARNING: This chapter contains graphic gore, mild language and some scenes which readers may find distressing. Reader discretion is advised.**

* * *

**Chapter 15: Amethyst's Agony**

Spyro heard nothing but the ringing in his ears, piercing through them like a needle on skin. He felt nothing, only his heart beating rampantly and a sense of exhaustion fill his body. With a slight groan, he tried to open his weary eyes, his muscles screaming and aching as he attempted to wake. He was disoriented, his vision nothing but an unintelligible blur of colours. Spyro attempted to raise his head, but it was all of a sudden too heavy for his neck. He lifted it slightly, wincing as his head slumped back down, pain seething through his cranium. A shockwave of aches and pains spread all the way down the back of his neck, burning his spine. Pulling his lips back and gritting his teeth together, Spyro squeezed his eyes shut to try and help with the pain. He hissed air through his teeth, but the throbbing in his brain just kept getting worse. His hissing and huffing became more and more erratic as pained, croaky whimpers slithered their way off his tongue.

The purple dragon let out an exhausted groan as the pain slowly began to subside, giving him time to regain his breath. Spyro opened his eyes slowly, breathing heavily and his head spinning. He suddenly noticed the ground below him was further than his paws could reach, making a sense of dread enter his mind. Seeing his violet paws hanging loosely in the air, dangling freely, Spyro soon realised he was suspended in mid-air. His ankles were bound with metal shackles, cutting into his scales and rubbing against his flesh. Thick chains protruded from the ends of them, tying him to whatever was behind him.

Worst of all were his forepaws, stretched out on either side of him. His muscles were tensile, stretched far as they would go. They too were chained up in heavy shackles, leaving him completely immobilised. He suddenly registered pain in his paws as the rest of his pain receptors got back into work. Pain was everywhere, but the most excruciating pain came from all four of his paws. The shackles were so tight they were constricting his wrists and ankles, stopping adequate blood flow. He didn't know how long he had been hanging here in chains, but he feared if he didn't get out, he would lose all his paws.

Spyro groaned in agony as his ankles burned, his wrists crumbling as they were deprived of the blood they craved. Trying to move, Spyro gritted his teeth and groaned, barely able to move at all.

The purple dragon's mind tracked back to the events of the past few days. His body getting taken over, getting sucked into his own subconscious, and then tortured and mocked by a dark ancestor who was fully set on possessing him completely. A low growl escaped his throat at the thought of that monster. He had tortured the poor purple dragon over and over again, assaulting him with heavy verbal insults and accusations.

Noticing the chains once more, a heavy weight fell on his heart and his chest suddenly became heavy and painful to hold up. This looked very much like preparation for torture. _Physical_ torture.

Spyro looked around him, trying to see if there was anything that could help get him out of the chains, but there was nothing. Not even a wall. Just the floor and the chains, which stretched off into the reaches of his mind.

The purple dragon turned his head once more to look in front of him, and this time he was met with Mortem, a hulking black figure with hideous white eyes that pierced his very soul. Spyro swallowed his scream, not wanting to show any weakness in front of this evil creature. Mortem just smirked, parting his lips to show his hideous, long fangs that glistened with saliva.

Spyro never noticed how much they stood out against his pitch-black scales until now, and it unnerved him even more. The pure, unnaturally white fangs seemed to glow against the dark scales surrounding Mortem's maw, but the scariest part was the wet, pink gums covering the roots of each tooth. The flesh was bright, glistening in its lavish coating of saliva, also contrasting heavily against the black scales. The contrast was unearthly, and Spyro had to swallow his whimpers, unable to tear his gaze away from that sickly maw.

The maw opened, allowing Spyro full view of the deadly set of teeth on those jaws, as well as the thick, snaking tongue and the gaping throat at the back of it. A slow, calm breath entered Mortem's mouth, travelling down into his lungs, before his lips moved, forming words.

"**I see you're finally awake, Spyro,"** Mortem rumbled, his voice low and sinister, tones of sadistic humour edging the words.

"W-W-What… what… are… you…-"

"**What am I going to do to you? Very stupid question if I do say so, Spyro. Being the saviour of the world, you are very thick, aren't you?" **Mortem hissed, Spyro giving him a look of hatred.

"Just… leave… u-u-us alone…." Spyro strained, his voice low and hoarse.

"**Now where's the fun in that? You're practically half-dead anyway, so why would I stop now?" **Mortem smirked, making Spyro's heart skip a beat in dread and fear. **"Now then… shall we get started?"**

"Please… if you take over… just… just don't hurt Cynder… please…" Spyro pleaded, tears forming in his eyes.

Mortem snarled and smacked him across the maw, stinging pains coursing up the side of Spyro's face.

"**Soft bastard! Love is a lie! It does nothing but cause pain and misery," **Mortem snarled, raising his tailblade and clutching Spyro's neck. **"I'll show you what love did to me!"**

With his fangs bared, Mortem repeatedly slammed blows into Spyro's face, the purple dragon barely keeping consciousness. For a very long time, the abuse went on and on, Spyro grunting as each blow met him. At long last, Mortem finally relented, blood streaming from Spyro's nose and mouth. The purple dragon coughed hoarsely, before spitting a large, dark glob of blood at Mortem, glaring at him angrily. With one of his claws, Mortem wiped the blood off of his face, staring at Spyro with malicious intent.

The dark ancestor just gave a low growl before raising his claws, shoving them deep into Spyro's right shoulder, feeling thick, hot blood welling up over his talons. Slowly, Mortem ran his claws along the length of Spyro's arm, causing the purple dragon to let out a pained whimper as his purple limb slowly became red with flowing torrents of blood. Mortem kept going, over Spyro's elbow and down his forearm, before stopping at the edge of his wrist where the tight shackle covered. Spyro was hoping Mortem would pull his claws out of his burning, bleeding flesh, but instead he let out a chuckle and turned around, walking back up the length of his arm, pulling his blood-drenched claws with him.

A loud scraping sound reached Spyro's ears as an unpleasant, painful sensation tore down his upper arm, and he realised Mortem was starting to grind his claws along bare bone. Spyro quivered, feeling tears stream down his face, contorting with agony as a silent scream wracked his throat.

"Please… please… just… just stop…" Spyro sobbed, feeling his arm become deprived from blood.

Mortem just smirked, pushed his claw back in and cutting further into his flesh.

"**Look at you. The purple saviour reduced to a sobbing mess over a cut to the arm," **Mortem sneered. **"This isn't near the pain of being torn to pieces! Or watching your loved one bleed in front of you!"**

"L-L-Loved… one?" Spyro choked, spitting out blood that was still spilling out of his mouth. "You are i-i-incapable of love, you s-s-sadistic… b-b-bastard."

Mortem boiled with anger, clenching his paws and baring his teeth. He let out a loud, deafening roar, his face twisting with rage and saliva dripping from his jaws, before jolting his arm downwards, slicing down from Spyro's shoulder into his chest.

"**You're lucky I need you alive…" **he whispered, getting into Spyro's face so the purple dragon could smell his foul breath. **"If not, I would kill you right now and it wouldn't be pretty."**

As if to prove his point, he reached up to the back of Spyro's neck with both paws, digging his talons into the flesh, before raking them slowly around to the front of his neck, stopping before he could tear out the purple dragon's throat. Spyro gagged and whimpered, begging the ancestors for the pain to stop.

"**They won't help you now, **_**jikmadator seian**_**. After all, you're with me, and those damned ancestors want me dead,"** Mortem snarled. **"Plus, you call me 'dark ancestor' in that laughable realm of yours. So… you can say you're with an ancestor now. But this one won't make the pain stop."**

Spyro looked up, staring into Mortem's lifeless eyes with the same stare that he gave Malefor all those years ago.

"I… don't see myself… as a hero. I don't… see myself… as the purple dragon. I see myself… as a dragon… who was born to protect… to endure the hardships… of evil. I never kill… as a true hero should be… You're merely a hardship… _katima di whedabra_… but… if you touch… my Cynder…"

"**You'll **_**what**_**?" **Mortem interrupted, mockingly. **"You can't even break free of those damn chains you're in, let alone **_**fight**_** me, and **_**win**_**! You don't **_**scare**_** me! I am an **_**ancestor**_**, you whelp!"**

"_Mobi geou qe nowhere shafaer nomeno achuak edar svaklar wux shilta houpe de ve wux hawrk'ghukech slug_," Spyro warned, his eyes hard as iron as he stared. "If you dare lay a paw on her, I will kill you…"

"**I don't think you're in a position to be giving out threats Spyro," **Mortem smirked. **"Especially death threats."**

Spyro inhaled, a curse on his lips, until Mortem thrust his claws forward into his stomach, causing a constricted squeal to leave his throat. Mortem's teeth were gritted tightly, his brow furrowed with rage. His expression hardened even more as he pushed his claws further into Spyro. Tears streamed down the purple dragon's face as he stared up at Mortem, unable to form words through the immense pain he was experiencing.

The want to get out and fight back was evident by the gleam in the purple dragon's eyes, and Mortem smirked horribly.

"**I see that look in your eyes. Fine, get out and fight me. Get out of your damn chains, and fight me,"** Mortem taunted, knowing the purple dragon couldn't get out of his bonds.

"Don't… you ever… shut up...?" Spyro hitched, panting as he tried to ignore the pain.

Mortem merely snarled and stabbed Spyro's left leg with his claw, the purple dragon crying out yet again due to the crushing force of the pain he was enduring. The dark ancestor dug his claws deeply into the purple dragon's flesh, drawing even more blood. He slowly dragged his paws down the length of Spyro's leg, the terrible sound of tearing flesh piercing Spyro's ears as he whimpered in pain. Mortem reached Spyro's ankle, pulling his claws out before reaching up to the top of the leg and inserting his claws again, repeating the action and dragging them down slowly. He continued this another three times, getting slower and slower each time to the point where the pain felt like it would never stop.

The dark ancestor pulled his bloody claws out once more, placing his paws on Spyro's red, lacerated leg, one paw above the knee, another paw below. With an evil chuckle, he quickly twisted his paws in different directions, growling at the heavy shunt he gave and forcing both bones to snap with great force. Spyro reared his head back let out a loud shriek, having never experienced pain like it. His scream drawled on until he had no breath left, his throat raw and burning. He couldn't think or speak, the crushing sensation of agony was too much for him to bear. He wanted to free himself, wanted to break out of this torture he was enduring. Reduced to nothing but tears, Spyro lowered his head and sobbed, his pitiful moans hoarse and croaky due to the ring of fire burning his throat.

Mortem reached forward, grabbing the purple dragon's jaw and lifting his face so that he was eye level. Spyro was barely breathing, barely keeping consciousness. He was afraid, scared and in agony. His warrior spirit had completely diminished, and he had lost the will to fight. His eyes were bloodshot, glistening with a heavy onslaught of tears, and remained focused at the ground, even with his face aimed directly at Mortem.

"**Look at me…" **Mortem whispered menacingly, holding Spyro's jaw in a crushing grip. **"LOOK AT ME!"**

Mortem smacked Spyro across the jaw, sapping the last of Spyro's will from his mind. For the first time in his life, Spyro knew he couldn't win or fight back. He just had to endure and accept defeat. He had to comply to what this monster wanted. Hesitantly, he lifted his eyes, turning his gaze to Mortem, only to be met with those horrible, soulless, white eyes. Spyro suddenly wanted to turn away, free his eyes from the horror in front of him. No matter how hard he tried, however, he found he couldn't, ensnared by the devilish orbs that turned his soul to steel.

The dark ancestor gave a low chuckle, before he moved in closer to Spyro. He could feel his breath against his scales, and a shiver of pure terror went down his spine. Spyro still couldn't keep his gaze off Mortem, turning to follow him as his torturer's head stopped in front of his bloodied neck. His maw parted, revealing a long tongue that slithered out of his mouth. The wet muscle was pressed against Spyro's scales, digging into the deep, bloody wound positioned on the side of his blood-soaked neck. Saliva mixed with blood, and Spyro cringed in pain, his sobs continuing to wrack his form relentlessly. As the tongue travelled across his neck, he found he still could not avert his eyes from Mortem, his teary eyes following the long tongue.

Mortem pulled away from Spyro, blood staining his tongue, strings of saliva and blood combined sticking between the bloodied neck and the snaking, slithering muscle. Mortem's tongue disappeared inside his maw, teeth bared in a hideous smile that made Spyro shiver. Throughout this whole time, Spyro's eyes remained fixed on Mortem, unable to avert his gaze from him and watching in horror as his torture continued. For a while, he stared at those glistening white fangs that he awaited to end his life, but his gaze slowly returned to Mortem's own gaze.

Spyro's vision suddenly blurred as the white glow in Mortem's eyes intensified, temporarily blinding him. He groaned, trying to regain his vision. At the same time, however, he hoped that he would lose the rest of it so that he would never see Mortem again. When his vision cleared however, he was not met by the form of Mortem, but the form of Cynder, mangled and hideously malformed. Spyro knew it was Mortem posing as Cynder, but seeing her in what was now Mortem's dominion, a hideous, devilish smirk on her face, broke him beyond comprehension. His attempt to control his sobbing failed as he fell further and further into despair, long whimpering wails starting to tear from his throat.

"Cynder… Cyn… der…" Spyro's voice quivered as the sight before him proved too much to bear, causing more tears to emerge from his eyes.

Cynder's eyes were hideous, red sclerae vibrant and evil, her irises yellow and her pupils… non-existent. Her eyelids appeared to have been ripped off, blood streaming down from around the orbs which bulged unnaturally out from her face. Her teeth were large and crooked, appearing to be too big for her lips to hold with how far apart her lips were spread. Cynder's head was tilted at a slight angle, trying to come off as innocent despite the devilish facial expression. The face was just the start; she was missing a horn… missing a wing… bloody wounds covering a large majority of her body and painting it a scarlet red instead of black. She was missing a great deal of scales, exposing rotting flesh. Her left forepaw was lumpy, resting on its side, and each talon twitched.

"**Spyro,"** she replied, her voice low and bubbly, sounding as if she was choking on phlegm or blood that was caught in her throat.

Cynder paused, and Spyro thought that was it, but what she said next haunted him to his very core.

"**My love."**

The broken purple dragon tried to hold in his agony, but was unable to. He let loose the longest, loudest howl he ever had, voice cracking several times due to the stress he was putting on his throat and vocal chords, tears streaming relentlessly down his face, blinding him once more. The tail of Spyro's scream wavered tremendously, tremors overtaking his body as he finally gave into his despair.

He was not coming back from this. He was not coming back to Cynder. Everything was gone.

The darkness around him began to rumble and shake from the force of his scream, the echoes of his scream pounding through his ear drums. Spyro's vision returned as his tears slowly began to subside. He had cried everything out, and although he hated crying, he wished he still had tears to spare. Mortem stood in front of him, smiling ominously. Spyro should have been relieved to see Mortem's real form instead of that hideous zombie that was Cynder, but seeing Mortem just put even more dread slamming into his heart.

Spyro spat a low curse at Mortem, but the dark ancestor just growled, clicking his talons. Spyro fell to the ground, finally free of his chains, scars from the shackles painting his wrists and ankles. The purple dragon looked up at Mortem, who just looked down at him, unimpressed.

"**You'll see more of me, **_**hawrk'ghukech wopsit**_**,"** Mortem growled, before turning and walking away.

Spyro calmed his breathing, before looking down at his paws. He was suddenly taking a liking to those claws of his. He wanted to get out of this torture. He didn't see any other way out. Almost as soon as he looked at them however, they all started to disintegrate, leaving him clawless. Spyro looked behind him and saw his tailblade was missing too.

"**Just because I know you'll try and get out of this,"** Mortem's voice echoed, before Spyro was left alone in silence. **"Enjoy your solitude… while you can…"**

"Cynder… Cynder… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Spyro curled himself up and closed his eyes, feeling only sorrow and hopelessness. He knew that it was hopeless trying to get out by force, so all he could do… was pray. Spyro pushed himself onto his haunches, gritting his teeth and cursing at the pain he was in. Closing his eyes and bowing his head, he began to speak to the ancestors.

"_Ancestors, nymuer sia relgr ekess wux. Troth Cynder, troth jacioniv mrith dout ingowil vur dout nobility. Troth jacioniv mrith usk paws vur vi versvesh kornari, ihk si mi jikmadator. Petranas, si drekik di wux, letoclo jacioniv…"_

Spyro heard quiet whispers in front of him, causing him to open his eyes. It was another memory, but this time, sweet. Spyro was lying in bed, sick with fever and sweating wildly. Cynder was by his side, pressing his forehead gently with a damp cloth and giving him water every now and then. Spyro remembered her soft touch on his face, the tenderness of her paws. How he longed to feel that same sensation now.

"_Hey, I'm here. Always will be," _Cynder's voice called as Spyro began to cry. _"I'll never leave your side, never."_

A sad smile came to Spyro's face as the memory began to disappear. Those sweet words warmed his heart, and he was certain that it was because of those words that he got better. Now however, stuck in his subconscious, Spyro was deprived of all hope, but with the image of Cynder in his mind, maybe… he could finally find some salvation.

* * *

**Well, there you have it guys! Like I said, very graphic chapter here but I hope you guys enjoyed it nonetheless. I'm sorry for this being so short, but there wasn't really much else going on and we wanted this to be entirely revolved around Spyro and Mortem so I apologise for the short chapter. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the double upload this week. Bit of a surprise for you I bet!**

**I hope you guys have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening... **

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… signing off ^_^**


	18. CH16: Trusting Instincts

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. It seems most of you enjoyed the brutal events of the last chapter, and I agree, poor Spyro. I just want to say thank you for over nine thousand views. That is just insane and I cannot believe that this story has received such good praise and amazing reviews. I am just lost for words. Thank you so much to all of you who have favorited, read and reviewed and most especially to my consistent reviewers:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- TARDIS  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- Just Shooter**

**Thank you all so much and keep that support coming! Let's hit ten thousand views eh? Hope you guys enjoy the chapter and without further ado…**

**Let the story continue…**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Trusting Instincts**

Cynder groaned as she felt the warm sun shine against her eyelids, waking her from the peaceful slumber that she relished in. Her muscles were aching from the amount of training that Hunter had put her through, but she could tell that it was working and the effort had paid off. Opening her eyes, she realised that it was already mid-morning, the cheetahs outside the shelter already tending to their daily duties. With a grunt, Cynder pushed herself up onto her paws, stretching each muscle and tendon, before sighing in satisfaction upon hearing a few clicks around her body.

Smacking her lips, she began to feel a little thirsty, not to mention hungry. She made her way out of the shelter and towards a small stream that was just a few steps away. Cynder gasped at how beautiful of a day it was. It was times like this where Cynder loved the world she lived in, the birds chirping around her, the grass swaying and a lush smell of leaves entering her nostrils. Feeling the sun on her face, the beautiful sight of the water shimmering like jewels and radiating with the sun's light was all an addition to her feeling of bliss.

As she reached the stream, she peered at her reflection in the water. A few cuts from her recent battle during training were still present, leaving a few thin scars, but her features were no less harmed than when she stepped foot out of the Warfang gates. Bending down, she took a few mouthfuls of water, feeling the coolness of the water slither down her throat and into her stomach, her dry mouth now hydrated. Straightening herself back up, she glared at the landscape in front of her, birds soaring across the clear, blue sky. There was no hope in hiding it; she was missing Spyro. _Her _Spyro. She missed his touch, his warmth, his eyes, and his undying devotion to her.

"I hope you're safe Spyro," Cynder said to the sky, holding back a tear that wanted to emerge.

Out of Cynder's view, Sparx was flying by behind her and mumbling to himself, soon spotting the black dragoness out of the corner of his eye. Having been resting for the previous two days, he wanted to get out and breathe some fresh air for a change. Upon seeing Cynder, he made his way over to her, a sly smirk on his face.

"Boo!" Sparx shouted behind her, making her jump out of her scales and fall into the stream.

Sparx couldn't help himself but laugh and Cynder clambered out of the water, her scales dripping and an angry expression on her face.

"What the hell Sparx?!" Cynder gasped, recovering from drinking more water than she'd wanted. "Don't do that!"

"Jeez sorry. You have to admit though, that was pretty funny," Sparx laughed, putting a hand over his mouth to stifle his chuckles.

"Yeah ha ha very funny," Cynder replied sarcastically, shaking a little to remove some of the water from her scales, spraying some of it on Sparx and causing him to recoil away from it. "Where have you been for the last couple of days anyway?"

"Oh, I've been sleeping most of the time and spending some time with Aerith," Sparx explained. "It's been very relaxing."

Cynder merely rolled her eyes and shook her head in disbelief, annoyed at the fact that Sparx had been sleeping the entire time that she had been training.

"I cannot believe that you have been sleeping for that long," Cynder mumbled, slightly agitated. "So you've been sitting on your ass for the entirety of the time while I've been training mine off, have you?"

"Yep."

"Urh… you're unbelievable. Anyway, I've got to do one more session with Hunter today and then we've got to start heading towards our next destination. We've wasted enough time as it is."

"Fine by me," Sparx shrugged. "At least I can get a couple more hours in before we leave."

"Seriously?! _More _sleep?"

"A dragonfly has gotta get his beauty sleep otherwise they can be very annoying," Sparx smirked.

"Seems like you need to sleep all the time then," Cynder replied smugly.

Sparx rolled his eyes and began to fly back to the hut that he was staying in. Cynder shook her head and chuckled to herself, rolling her eyes and groaning as she heard her stomach rumble.

"Guess I better grab something to eat before I start training," Cynder said to herself as she began her search for food.

On the way back to the shelter to retrieve her satchel, Cynder spotted a cheetah with golden brown fur and forest green eyes, rather reminding her of Prowlus. She was carrying a small palette of meat and berries, making Cynder's mouth water at the mere scent that the food was giving off.

"Good morning, Mrs Cynder," the young cheetah said with a proud smile. "My dad and Hunter wanted me to give you your breakfast this morning."

"Your dad? Wait… you're Prowlus' daughter?" Cynder asked with surprise.

"Yep, and that can be a real pain sometimes," she chuckled. "Call me Shira."

"Nice to meet you."

Shira gave Cynder the food palette and turned back towards the path, stopping in her tracks as she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh! I almost forgot. Hunter would like you in the training ground as soon as you have finished your food. Apparently he has something special planned for you," Shira explained before waving.

Cynder thought about the 'special something' that Hunter had planned for her while eating. It was either a specific type of training, or a new way to find another part of herself that had since been lost. Cynder finished her meal in quick haste and made her way over to the training ground, getting a few waves and greetings from cheetahs that passed by. Getting closer, she realised that Hunter was alone in the middle of the training field, perched on his knees and his eyes firmly closed. His paws were relaxed onto his legs, and his breathing was rhythmic and quiet.

Cynder approached quietly in an attempt to not disturb him, but was soon stopped as Hunter suddenly lunged from his position and produced a bokken from behind him, putting it just inches from Cynder's face. Cynder gasped at Hunter's speed and precision as he opened his eyes, he chuckled softly and smirked.

"Good morning Cynder," Hunter said cheerfully. "I trust you slept well?"

"Y-Y-Yeah… I guess…" Cynder stammered, dumbfounded at the events that had just taken place. "Hunter, how in the ancestors did you do that?"

"Do what?" Hunter asked as if nothing had happened.

"_That! _Y'know, that meditation reflex move that you just did," Cynder pointed, making Hunter giggle slightly.

"Ah, you mean… using my senses to feel the vibrations in the earth?"

"You can do that?" the black dragoness asked him, her eyes widening, believing it was only an earth dragon thing.

"Yes of course," Hunter nodded as he folded his arms. "My father taught me when I was just a cub. It requires a lot of concentration and a connection to the earth that you were born from. Now, because we are of a different spiritual make-up to dragons, we have a different connection to the earth than a dragon would, but it also means that because of the elements they all wield, dragons unfortunately cannot learn this technique unless they are of a specific element. Earth for example is the only element that allows this sort of technique, but… since you're a shadow dragon, I guess we can try and experiment with it to achieve something similar. I think I know of something we can try."

Cynder sat on her haunches and thought for a moment. A lot of her training had been interpreting and measuring her opponent's moves. But now, she had to focus on controlling her mind, and feeling the world around her. She knew that Spyro was always exceptional at clearing his mind and focusing, but he possessed the earth element, something that Cynder knew she didn't have.

"How will my shadow element help? It only helps me phase in and out of existence to dodge attacks," Cynder asked him, forming a shadow ball in her paw.

"That's what this training is for, tapping into the full potential of your elements," Hunter added. "Now… close your eyes and empty your mind."

Cynder did what she was asked and closed her eyes, unsure what good this would do. She'd been using her shadow element her whole life, experimenting and using it in battle to strengthen her fighting capability. She _knew_ what it did. She had her fair share of experience, but she didn't want to seem all stuck up trying to prove Hunter wrong. After all, she knew what she was doing.

Complying with Hunter's orders, Cynder emptied her mind as best as she could, trying to rid it of all thoughts and distractions. This wasn't her strong suit; Spyro was always better at meditating, but she still tried nonetheless. To begin with, the thought of Spyro would simply not leave her mind. The sweet memories that she had shared with him would just not leave her thought process, causing her to get frustrated a little.

For a good few minutes, she felt nothing. Then, a strange sensation from her right registered in her brain. It wasn't connected to her body at all. It was weird, like she could feel a presence beside her. It was faint and dwindling, but it was there. A shapeless, moving sphere, crawling across the ground, slowly moving towards her, creeping ominously in the dark shroud that her eyelids created in front of her. It unsettled her, the sense foreign to her.

A long point emerged from the sphere. It was sharp and it suggested danger. One thing that she noticed however, was that it was pointed directly at her, getting closer and closer, before she could almost feel it on her scales.

Feeling the need for self-defense, Cynder whirled around with a yelp and swung her tail around towards the object in front of her with the long point sticking out of it. She felt something solid connect with her tail as a loud thud registered in her ears. She stepped back, breathing heavily to gain her breath back from the slight scare. Opening her eyes and bringing her sight out of shadow, Hunter was lying on the ground beside her, winded with a spear lying in front of him, having fallen out of his grasp.

He was on her right, exactly where the sphere she had sensed was. She surveyed the scene in front of her, realising that the objects that she felt were Hunter and the spear he wielded. She didn't know whether to be upset at him, or worried for him as he lay on his side, clutching his stomach and groaning in pain. Cynder made her way over to his side, a worried expression on her face.

"Hunter, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed nervously. "A-a-are you alright?"

"I'm… I'm fine, Cynder…" Hunter groaned, rolling over slowly and wincing before lying flat on his back. "Just… a little… w-w-winded… gah..."

"Just a _little_?! You're on the floor, writhing in pain!"

"I'm fine, Cynder. The important thing is… what did you feel? When you meditated?" Hunter questioned.

"I, uh… I don't know. I felt this… presence. It was like a sphere of something… sitting to my right. I felt a long point coming out of the sphere, coming closer towards me. I didn't know what it was so I attacked. Ancestors, I'm so sorry. I attacked you in front of Aerith and now I've gone and winded you."

"That doesn't matter. All that matters is that it worked! You used your shadow element to sense movement around you!" Hunter celebrated, before being interrupted by a heavy fit of coughs, pain still burning through his chest and stomach from being winded.

"Come on, let's get you back to the village."

Cynder placed Hunter onto her back and began to head back towards the village, slightly proud of herself that she managed to complete Hunter's training. It had certainly been a while since she had to focus on her senses instead of her eyes, fighting with her instincts and knowing her opponents' moves before she attacks. It was obvious that the training had paid off. She felt lighter, more agile and aware. Her body felt more functional while fighting, easily able to dodge and weave rather than her reactions being slow and sluggish.

"Your training has certainly paid off Cynder," Hunter chuckled, still trying to catch his breath, lying with his chest to Cynder's back as the pain inside it continued to burn.

"Yeah I guess it has," Cynder replied, chuckling a little herself. "My body feels a lot lighter now, I feel like I could move a mountain! All thanks to you of course. As short as that exercise ended up being, I learned a lot and feel a lot better. I didn't even know I could _do_ that with the shadow element!"

Cynder and Hunter made their way through the streets of the village, Hunter beginning to get more of his breath back with each passing second. Cynder knew that her time in the village would be short, but she didn't expect to have this much of an improvement from her training. Her mind tracked back to Spyro and what he would think of her recent improvement, how proud he would be of her.

"I can imagine what Spyro would say right now," Cynder said to Hunter.

"What would that be?" Hunter asked her in intrigue.

"Wings and paws can only take you so far, it's your heart that truly makes you take flight," Cynder smiled, remembering one of Spyro's greatest teachings.

"Spyro is a very wise dragon," Hunter added. "I'm sure, when the time is right, he will prevail from the parasite inside of him."

"I have every faith in him," Cynder replied.

After a while, Hunter lowered himself from Cynder's back and began walking on his own, his stomach less knotted and his breathing clear. They made their way past the armoury and nearing Hunter's house where Clover was hanging clothes out to dry. Hunter made her way over to her and put his arms around her, kissing her gently on the cheek.

"So? How did it go?" Clover asked him as Cynder made her way over.

"It went rather well, I believe she is ready," Hunter smiled.

"Ready for what?" said a young voice that protruded from behind Clover, revealing itself to be Aerith's.

"Ready for Cynder to continue on her journey, moonshine," Clover explained.

"Do you mean Cynder has to leave?" Aerith questioned, her tone of voice portraying her disappointment.

"Unfortunately, I do, Aerith," Cynder replied. "I've got a very big job to do; my mate is in trouble and I have to do everything I can to save him. It also means I have to be as quick as possible so he doesn't suffer, hence why I can't stay."

"Your mate?"

"Yes, you remember how I mentioned Spyro to you? The purple dragon? He's my mate."

Aerith nodded slowly, remembering where she heard that word before.

"Mummy and Daddy say they are mates, and mates are meant to love each other very much."

"They do," Cynder said, choking on her words slightly. "When two dragons or cheetahs become mates, it means they love each other to a point where they want to spend the rest of their lives together. And oh, ancestors we _do_. I would do anything for Spyro. And that's why I have to go. I wish I could stay but I can't."

"Oh. I understand," Aerith mumbled, looking down at the ground and shuffling her feet on the ground as Clover put a comforting paw on the little cub's shoulder.

"I'll be back to visit, Aerith. We'll see each other again."

"Good, because when you come back I wanna go on another flight with you and Daddy!" Aerith exclaimed, a determined smile pulling at her lips as she looked back up at Cynder.

"We'll be sure to arrange that when Cynder returns," Hunter chuckled. "And next time, I'll remind myself not to eat before flying."

Cynder chuckled at Hunter's words, smiling widely as Aerith's face radiated with excitement. Although Cynder was leaving, Aerith focused on the future and what fun she would have, making Cynder's smile grow ever wider at her kind and exciting mind.

"And it should be for longer too. Hopefully when Spyro's feeling better he can come along too," Cynder suggested, making Aerith buzz with jubilation.

"Yes please! I wanna meet him!" Aerith shouted enthusiastically, jumping up and down in her mother's hold as she tried to keep her still.

"I agree, it'd be great to catch up with him again," Hunter added.

"I'm sure he'd love it," Cynder said.

"Anyway, I think we've kept you long enough, Cynder. Sparx should be awake by now so you should be fine to get on your way. Good luck with the rest of your journey and farewell," Clover farewelled.

"Thank you for everything. I'll see you soon," Cynder replied.

"Bye!" Aerith yelled, running out of Clover's grasp to embrace Cynder's leg in a hug.

Cynder chuckled, lowering her head to nuzzle the little cheetah cub. Aerith giggled in delight, turning to reach up to Cynder's snout.

"Be a good little girl for your parents now, Aerith," Cynder chuckled. "Especially to your father."

"Yes, Cynder! I will! Bye, and I hope Spyro gets well!"

"So do I," Cynder said as Aerith made her way back to Clover before turning to Hunter.

Hunter bowed his head with a smile on his face, his golden fur shining in the sunlight. It had been a while since he had seen Cynder, and the last few days had reawoken the warrior spirit that he had lost since the end of the war.

"Good to see you again Cynder. Take care, old friend."

"You too," Cynder responded, bowing her head in reply before she turned and made her way back to her temporary home where Sparx had been staying for the past few days.

Upon reaching it, Cynder heard a constant hum of loud snoring emitting from the hut. She peered inside, noticing that Sparx was still asleep. The little dragonfly was lying on his back, lifting into the air a little as he snored, before sinking back down with each exhale. A spot of drool had made an appearance next to his mouth which was agape and wide. Cynder shook her head and made her way inside, stamping on the floor as to wake him. Even though the objects in the hut shook at the force of her paws meeting the floor, Sparx still slept soundly, his snoring pounding against her eardrums.

Getting slightly annoyed, Cynder sat on her haunches, cleared her throat and pulled her claws back, her knuckles clicking as she stretched them. Moving closer to Sparx and positioning her head directly over him, she parted her lips, making sure that her razor sharp teeth were visible to ensure that Sparx would wake up with a fright. Cynder raised a claw and gently prodded Sparx with it, causing him to stir in his sleep and emit an especially violent snore. She poked him again, and he finally opened his eyes, groaning groggily. As his vision began to become clear, Sparx realised that he was staring directly at a full set of gleaming teeth. Within an instant, he flew up into the air and screamed, bashing into the wall behind him.

"GAH! DON'T EAT ME! I'M TOO YOUNG TO BE EATEN!" Sparx shouted in protest as he awaited his fate, soon hearing familiar giggles to his left. "CYNDER?!"

"Morning Sparx, or should I say afternoon?" Cynder chuckled as Sparx began to have a little tantrum.

"WHAT THE FUCK CYNDER?!" Sparx shouted, boiling with anger. "THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!"

"It was for me, now hurry up and get ready, we're gonna be leaving soon," Cynder said sternly, making her way out of the door.

"Where are we going this time?" Sparx asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Tall Plains."

Sparx's mood suddenly changed to one of excitement at the thought of being worshipped again. He flew from the bed, zooming past Cynder and out into the sunshine. Cynder merely rolled her eyes and shook her head, stepping out of the doorway and tightening her satchel.

"I'm fairly sure that the atlawans remember me; I was their god and leader after all," Sparx said proudly, puffing out his chest.

"That's if they remember you Sparx," Cynder replied. "It has been quite a while since you and Spyro first arrived there so, I wouldn't get your hopes up."

"You may think that Cynder, but when they see their god again, they'll be sure to bow to me! The almighty Sparx! Back on the throne!" Sparx announced triumphantly.

"Well, when you're done inflating your ego, hurry the hell up," Cynder said impatiently, getting slightly annoyed.

Cynder flapped her wings and took to the air, Sparx following closely behind and mumbling to himself in excitement. It was early afternoon, a warm and graceful sun radiating down upon the earth as the two siblings-in-law flew. Cynder looked down upon her surroundings, breathing in the fresh air contently. The lush fields of grass swayed gently in the wind, creating a sea of green. Trees stood firm as they flew over them, their leaves being battered by the wind and the hardened bark clamped into the soil below. Yet again, Cynder noticed how free everything was, how free the world was. But more importantly, how beautiful the world she lived in was.

"How long is it gonna take us to get there?" Sparx asked.

"A few days," Cynder replied. "So yes, a long journey which means plenty of flying."

"Urh…" Sparx groaned, putting a small hand onto his face. "Why have journeys got to be so long?"

"Because then it wouldn't be a journey would it? It would just be a… quick stroll around the corner," Cynder answered, getting slightly impatient with Sparx's laziness. "Now, shut up and keep up. We're gonna get as far as we can before we make camp. We wasted a lot of time at the village and… I'm not sure how long Spyro can keep this up for."

"Cynder, he's gonna be okay. Remember, he is strong and can handle most things. Including my jokes," Sparx said, making Cynder smile a little. "You cannot do this journey if all you're gonna focus on is the negative side, you've got to focus on the fact that Spyro is still alive and fighting. Plus, I'm pretty sure he's fighting… erm… what's his name?"

"Mortem."

"Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure he's fighting Mortem for you, because I know him and I know that when he fights for something, nothing gets in his way. Especially when it comes to you."

Sparx's words seem to spark a reassuring motive inside of Cynder, causing her to think of Spyro fighting for her and of course her responsibility to save him. During the Night of Eternal Darkness, Spyro was hell-bent on finding Cynder and making sure she was okay, as well as finding the Chronicler and stopping Gaul.

"Even during the Night of Eternal Darkness, I knew Spyro was always thinking about you. Although he didn't want to show it, I knew he saw you as... not just an ally, but as a friend. You were the only friend he had that was his age _and_ his species. Someone who understood him better than I ever could Cynder. He loves you, and when Spyro loves something, ancestors help anyone that tries to take that love away from him."

Tears came to Cynder's eyes as she heard Sparx's words. She missed Spyro. She missed him so much that it broke her heart in two knowing that she could not hold him in her paws, or kiss him and tell him it's going to be okay. She quickly wiped her eyes with a paw, trying to hide her emotion. Sparx knew that she was trying to be strong. Not only for herself so that she could finish this journey, but for her husband. He just sighed sadly, not knowing what else to say, but knowing that he would feel the same if he had to go on a long, exhausting journey to save his own mate.

After a few hours, the sun began to grow low, barely peeking over the horizon in the distance. The sky was painted a crimson-stained orange, almost as if the sky was bleeding. Cynder's eyes shone with the last light of day, realising that they would need to make camp for the night. The two siblings-in-law, after landing in a small clearing, lit a fire and began to search for food. Within minutes, Cynder returned with a large deer and began eating, whereas Sparx was, as usual, gobbling down butterflies at quite a fast rate.

After finishing, Cynder gazed at the fire, its bright, burning haze reflecting in her emerald eyes. Her thoughts about Spyro and their future wouldn't leave her mind. There was one subject that stood out among many, and that was parenthood. She looked over towards Sparx as he snatched another butterfly out of the air, many questions forming inside her head. Her thoughts suddenly went to the dreams she'd been having as of recently. Time and time again she had the same dream as she slept, the dream that kept her hopes alive and her will to fight strong.

"Sparx? Can I ask you something?" Cynder asked, twiddling her claws.

"You just did," Sparx replied smugly, chewing on a mouthful of butterflies.

"Were you and Livvy ever affected by having a child? As in, relationship wise?" Cynder enquired tentatively, ignoring his previous statement.

Sparx swallowed hard, thinking hard about an answer to Cynder's question. It was a shock for him when Livvy announced that she was gravid, but it did not change their marriage, or their love between one another.

"No, not in the slightest," Sparx answered confidently. "In fact, it made our marriage the best that it could be. Of course, I was scared at first but… when Petal and Lilly were actually born, it just came to me and… well… turns out I was a natural according to Livvy."

"But, when they've just been born, how do you understand what they want?"

"That's fairly easy Cynder, you trust your instincts. I know that sounds like a long shot, and trust me, I got enough of that instinct talk when the guardians were teaching Spyro how to be a dragon or whatever. That being said, you will know what your child wants when it comes to it. I have seen how caring you are Cynder, and I know that when the time comes, you'll be a great mother to your child."

Cynder smiled at Sparx's words, giving a thankful smile in his direction. Another thing that loitered on her mind however, was how much it was going to hurt to actually lay her egg, or eggs. It sent chills down her spine everytime she thought of it. Other dragonesses have spoken about laying an egg, putting into very precise detail about what they felt. Some even described it as being shot by an arrow in the pelvis, or feeling your entire body being burned alive.

"Sparx… did Livvy tell you how much it hurt to lay eggs?" Cynder asked him again, Sparx spitting out remnants of a butterfly onto the lit fire.

"Oh yeah, countless times," he replied, chuckling. "When she was laying them, she ended up punching me in the face and squeezing my hand until it nearly broke. From what I've seen however, it does hurt. But a mother has to go through many ordeals to make sure her child is safe and secure in this world. Livvy said it challenged her, not only physically, but mentally too. At some points, she wanted it to stop, but she wouldn't give up. If having a child is what you truly want Cynder, then you must be prepared."

"Thanks Sparx... I mean that," Cynder said thankfully.

"No problem. Right, I'm gonna get some sleep cause I woke up early this morning," Sparx yawned.

"You've been sleeping for two days straight! How are you tired?!" Cynder asked, finding it hard to figure out how the little dragonfly could still be tired.

"Flying takes a lot out of me, my wings are smaller than yours," Sparx replied.

"Urh, just go to sleep."

Within a few minutes, Sparx fell asleep, his normal rhythmic snoring interrupting the normal sounds of nighttime. Cynder however, stayed awake and went over Sparx's words. She knew that it was going to hurt, she had always known that. It was one of her sweetest dreams to hold a child of her own in her paws, snuggling into her chest for warmth. More importantly, Spyro was by her side, nuzzling her cheek. How she longed for him to do that just one more time.

Cynder laid herself down and closed her eyes, beginning to drift off into a peaceful slumber, and dreaming of Spyro flying by her side…

* * *

**Chapter 16 done! Whoo! Sorry this took so long to come out guys. School and work has just been ridiculous recently and I have been suffering from writer's block for quite a while so that doesn't help either. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter nonetheless. The next one will be out quite soon I reckon as it's one that I personally cannot wait to write. Thank you for all of your support so far! I cannot believe that we are only a few hundred views from TEN THOUSAND! That is just insane. Thank you so much, you guys are awesome!**

**Hope you have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, SKda and Cheetah… Signing off ^_^**


	19. CH17: Blackheart

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. Holy crap… you guys completely blew my expectations out of the water. This story has now reached over ten thousand views and nearly halfway to eleven thousand already. That is just pure insanity. I cannot believe how much reception this story has received. Thank you all so much! Thanks to my frequent reviewers:**

**\- TARDIS (You wearing sandshoes?)  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- IllusionMaster17  
\- Atlas FF**

**I cannot thank you guys enough for all of the support, I really appreciate it. Anyway, let's continue on with the story shall we? Without further ado…**

**Let the story continue…**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Blackheart**

It was a dreary and pale morning, the sky hidden behind what seemed like a wall of grey and miserable clouds. The sea lost its shine, only a shroud covering its surface as the waves moved lifelessly over the water. Cynder found it funny as it almost resembled her mood. A mood of saddened proportions. It was not the fact that she was missing Spyro, of course she did miss him greatly, but it was the fact that she left Aerith at such short notice. There was a certain buzz when she was with the little cheetah cub, almost warming to her heart. It certainly made her smile, that she was sure of.

Beside her, Sparx was flying with excitement and anticipation, unable to wait to be worshipped again by the atlawan tribes. Cynder was growing ever so tired of his constant babbling, having to tell him to shut up a few times. The black dragoness did not get much sleep the night before either, her lack of sleep putting her on edge. She had been too scared by the thought of falling asleep and succumbing to one of her nightmares. Since she began her journey, the nightmares had started, and each nightmare always remained the same: Spyro laying in a pool of his own blood in the centre of the infirmary, Cynder sitting over him, powerless and distraught. It scared her... scared her beyond belief to wake up and not see him by her side. It scared her that she didn't know if he was safe. Cynder quickly wiped a tear from her eye, grunting angrily at her emotional weakness. She had to stay strong, not only for Spyro, but for Warfang, for Aerith and for Avalar. She had to keep going, continuing on to get these elemental stones so she could enter the White Isle and meet the Chronicler.

"I can't wait to get to Tall Plains," Sparx piped up cheerily, his voice cutting through Cynder's thoughts.

Cynder rolled her eyes with a groan. Sparx was unable to take his mind off being worshipped by the atlawa, and Cynder doubted they'd even remember him. Not many people did, especially since Spyro did most of the work and Sparx was just flying around, spitting witty remarks and not being much of a help at all, apart from when he knocked out one of the Skavenger parrots, according to Spyro.

"Sparx, you know they're probably not going to remember you, right?" Cynder deadpanned.

"They _worshipped_ me, Cynder. I don't know if you've ever been worshipped, but I think they'd remember me if they bothered getting on their knees and bowing to me," Sparx argued.

"You sure they weren't worshipping _Spyro_? After all, he _was_ the one that destroyed the Stone Sentinel and freed everybody from my wrath."

"Come on, you're just making up excuses now. I was _there_, with Spyro. They worshipped both of us, but it _still _meant they worshipped _me_!"

"Don't be surprised if they forget who you are, you annoying gnat. Spyro was the main attraction and he did all the work."

"You're only saying he's the 'main attraction' because you're absolutely in _love_ with him."

"I wasn't back _then_, and even I was so hellbent on getting to him so I could get him out of the way of my plans to revive Malefor. I'm just stating facts. Plus, wouldn't you say the same about Livvy?"

Sparx remained silent for a bit, and Cynder knew he understood her point, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of acknowledging it. So maybe Spyro _was_ the main attraction, but the look on Sparx's face still portrayed that he believed he would be worshipped. That he _should_ be worshipped. The eager, egotistic look said it all.

Cynder just rolled her eyes for a second time and let it rest. She had warned him enough, and it was starting to get tedious. Sparx would find out the hard way when they don't remember him at all.

The black dragoness turned over to her satchel, opening it slightly and seeing the soft white glow of the ice stone inside it. Every now and then, she would check on it, paranoid about losing it and having to go find it again. But at the same time, laying her eyes on it put comfort in her heart, knowing she was one step closer to saving Spyro. She couldn't wait until after her stay at Tall Plains, because she knew she would likely be leaving with the earth stone beside the ice stone. She'd be halfway there.

She clutched the necklace the Spyro had given to her, kissing it gently before letting it dangle around her neck once again. It's funny how something so small could have such a big meaning and impact. Not only was it because it's a small pendant of a purple dragon, but because it was given to her by Spyro. It was something which kept him close to her.

A few hours later, Sparx talking for most of it, Cynder and Sparx landed at Tall Plains and began to search for the earth stone. The black dragoness was already on high guard after the previous events that occured at Dante's Freezer. She knew that Hunter would not be able to come to the rescue this time. She was all on her own. Sparx on the other hand was frantically searching for the atlawan tribe, shouting at the top of his lungs to get their attention.

"Hello! Atlawan people! I have returned! The mighty Sparx has returned to you!" he shouted triumphantly at the trees.

"Sparx! Shut up!" Cynder hissed. "You're basically putting a big fat cross on our asses for people to kill us. Just for once, shut your mouth."

"Jeez, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Sparx mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh for the ancestors' sakes, just help me out and look for a sign to where the stone could be," Cynder replied impatiently, her voice laced with irritation and annoyance. "Also, I don't want a repeat of last time. Hunter won't be here to save us again, so we need to be on our guard, and you yelling at the top of your lungs 'I'm here! I'm here!' is not helping at all. So just keep that small but incessant gob of yours shut until we find this damned stone."

Cynder turned away and began to look for anything that may show any sign of the stone, markings on trees or anything on a rock in particular. Sparx on the other hand, remained determined to be recognised once again, still raising his voice somewhat and shouting into the trees yet again, disregarding Cynder's harsh and angry words. The black dragoness ignored him for the time being as she searched, still remaining on guard and keeping her wits about her.

She continued searching, looking around her surroundings in silence, ready to snap at Sparx again, his yelling now doing nothing more than annoy her. The silence only lasted for a bit as a searing pain suddenly flared up in her right shoulder, causing her to let out a yelp of pain and stagger backwards. She turned her head towards her shoulder, seeing a large spear sticking out of it.

Cynder spotted another spear soaring towards her from behind a large bush, and she leapt backwards to dodge it. The spear soared past her, but Cynder suddenly felt her hind leg knock into something. There was a masculine grunt, and Cynder turned around to see a biped llama staggering backwards.

The black dragoness gasped as she realised she had just kicked the atlawa, and then pieced together what was actually going on. It was an ambush.

Before she could make a move, another spear was hurled at her, landing in her right shoulder again, just below the first spear. She staggered backwards, before the ground gave way around her. With a large explosion of leaves and foliage, thick ropes fanned out around her, trapping her inside a net. She was flung into the air as the net took her up into the large tree she realised she was standing under, her body now curled in on itself uncomfortably, tail wrapped around her belly and chest, the blade resting on her shoulder, and her wings crumpled in on themselves.

She felt the net lurch around her, and when she looked up, she saw an atlawa youth, likely in his early teens, sitting on top of the tree branch and using a knife to cut the net off the branch. With one more large lurch, the net was separated from the branch and she fell down in a crumpled heap on the ground, the net rubbing uncomfortably at her scales.

Cynder sighed as she saw a large group of atlawa step out of the bushy cover, heavy scowls on their faces. They each wore blue-and-yellow loincloths and leather gloves, some of them with blue-tipped feathers adorning their heads. One of them wore blue wristbands and had vibrant blue eyes like the rest of their attire, and Cynder knew this was the leader.

The leader walked up to Cynder and growled. His eyes moved rapidly, studying Cynder's form. He opened his mouth to speak, but was immediately interrupted by Sparx's loud demands, still trying to act like their god.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, llama people! This is Cynder you're attacking here! As your god, I demand that you let her go, and then bow!" he boomed, flying in front of the atlawa leader's face, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest.

The atlawa all exchanged confused looks, even insulted. The leader broke his attention from Cynder to Sparx, his scowl unmoving.

"You dare claim to be our god, bug? You're unfit to even be spoken to," the leader said, before spitting at Sparx.

The glob of spit hit its aim accurately, causing Sparx to collapse to the ground as the thick saliva got all in the dragonfly's thin wings. He groaned in disgust, Cynder rolling her eyes again.

"They're camelidae, Sparx. They'll spit at you if they don't like you," she deadpanned, before the atlawa leader spat at _her_.

"You're right about that. Although with _you_, we're willing to do something a little bit more deserving, _Terror_," the leader scowled, twirling his long spear about in his fingertips threateningly, the metal blade gleaming brightly in the sunlight.

"I know I have hurt you in the past, killed many of your kind for which is unforgivable," Cynder stated, her voice low and serious. "But I assure you, I am a changed dragoness."

"It's true," Sparx added. "Even I was surprised when she turned out to be on our side for the last few days of the war."

"You don't get a say in this, cockroach!" the leader spat again, pinning Sparx down with another slob of spit.

"Sparx, just shut up, you're making this worse," Cynder hissed at him, before turning her attention back to the atlawa. "Before Malefor returned, the purple dragon, Spyro, saved me from my curse.

"A likely story!" the leader sneered sarcastically, crossing his arms and chuckling. "The purple dragon would never side with the likes of you."

"It's true! I have been living with him for most of my life. I am a changed dragoness. You must believe me. Spyro saved me and we became _mates _a few years later. But that's not why I'm here! Spyro is in danger!"

"The atlawa do not listen to murderous and conniving creatures like you," the leader growled, jabbing her with a spear. "You do not fool us, and we fear you no longer."

"I'm not trying to fool you!" Cynder pleaded desperately, trying to move herself to a more comfortable position. "Everything I'm saying is true! Spyro is being overrun by a parasite, an ancient ancestor that will stop at nothing to lay waste to the realms and kill all of us! Please! You must help me!"

"Shut her up!" the leader demanded, pushing forward another atlawan with a muzzle.

Cynder tried to move her head away, but was constricted by a multitude of atlawan paws, grabbing her jaw and pushing a muzzle onto her face. She felt the cold metal on her face, rubbing uncomfortably against her scales. The muzzle was cold and bitter, almost like a block of ice had been thrown at her face. Cynder felt the cold breath of the atlawan leader brush onto her face, recoiling at the stench of fish and rotten vegetables. A scowl was plastered on his face, looking into her eyes with hatred and malicious intent.

"You will pay for what you have done to us," he snarled. "And don't worry about your death being quick and simple. It will be slow… and painful. The same way you killed your victims."

Cynder couldn't help but feel a sense of dread and fear, knowing that she could do nothing to convince the atlawans that were holding her captive. She peered over to her right, watching Sparx being picked up and held with a firm grip, much to his increasing protests.

"Hey, let me go!" Sparx shouted. "I am your god, treat me with some respect!"

"Shut it you putrid slug!" the atlawa holding him snarled, before squeezing Sparx tightly.

The dragonfly made a few choking sounds, before he went limp in the atlawa's hold, falling into unconsciousness. Cynder exclaimed wordlessly in protest, the muzzle holding her maw shut. She grunted in annoyance as the atlawan leader chuckled, irritated that Sparx did not heed her warnings.

A sharp pain flared through her left flank, causing her to let out another muffled yelp. She turned her head as best as she could through the complex netting that was wrapped around her, noticing a blow dart had been shot through the net and into her. The pain was sharp and burning, almost like being stung by a bee. It slowly began to fade as she noticed her vision begin to blur. Her head spun, and she realised that it was a tranquiliser dart to put her to sleep. Her head slumped to the ground with a heavy thud, the dart negating any pain she would have felt. She just watched as the atlawa leader stepped towards her, appearing to have four legs as her vision split and blurred in front of her. With a soft exhale, her vision became sightless, and she fell to the will of the atlawa.

* * *

"What a fine puppet you will become…"

Cynder's eyes shot open, her ears ringing with a sickening voice that she knew too well. She looked around, realising that she was in a large, oval, dilapidated room, chains hanging from the ceiling. Cynder tried to move, realising that her paws were chained to a metal table that she was lying on. Shrouds of rust were plastered over the edge of the table, sending a smell of rotten metal into Cynder's nostrils. Attempting to move her head, she also realised that her neck was clamped by a large shackle, two chains protruding from either side of it. She almost recognised this place, this situation. She was sure she had seen it before.

A sense of dread began to fill the black dragoness' heart. Her breathing began to speed up rapidly and beads of sweat began to form at her forehead. She felt trapped, ensnared by claustrophobia as the chains and shackles rubbed uncomfortably against her scales. It didn't help that everything felt so abnormally big around her.

That's when she realised her surroundings weren't big… she was _small_. She looked down at her paws. They were small and rounded, slightly thicker due to the hatchling fat. She reached towards the back of her head as best as she could to feel her horns, feeling nothing but tiny stubs where the long, elegant horns once jutted out from. They were rounded and wimpy, no longer wielding the threatening sharp edge they once had. On top of that, her scales weren't black. They were a bright grey colour.

This situation of being strapped to the table as a child suddenly became more and more familiar to her, the sense of dread starting to strengthen inside her, gripping onto her chest like a vice. A voice suddenly sounded, making everything worse.

"Hello, little one."

Cynder's heart lurched. The vice around her chest strengthened, and she found it hard to breathe. It was _him_. The voice that she recognised just a few moments ago, was the voice that had only been heard in her nightmares. She soon realised what was happening. She was back in Mount Malefor, about to be transformed into that hellish body which haunted her nightmares. She couldn't move, her body frail and seeming lifeless. The shackles around her paws cut through her scales and drew blood, sending a stinging sensation coursing through her arms and shoulders. Staring forward, she saw a figure, tall and hunched make its way into the light, making Cynder shiver with fright.

_Gaul._

"Malefor is expecting me to make a soldier out of you," he growled, making his way over towards Cynder. "But first, I must make you whole."

Cynder tried to move, putting all of her strength into trying to escape the situation that she found herself in. She tried to plead, but a wordless squeal left her mouth. The dragoness couldn't speak. It was almost as if she'd completely forgotten how to. Another squeal emanated from her throat as she thrashed against the chains holding her, the rattling of the chains bouncing against her eardrums.

The hunched figure of Gaul continued to walk closer to her, reaching down and grabbing a hold of the underside of her jaw with his large paw. His fur was matted with dried, dark red splotches, and his claws long and sharp… cold even. He stroked her gently but menacingly, a low, rumbling chuckle thundering from his throat. His breath reeked of a rotten carcass that had been decaying for almost a century, making Cynder want to vomit. The stench of death and rotting flesh was strong as it wafted into Cynder's face. The hatchling was clueless as to what the smell was, only knowing it was terrible. Cynder was piecing more and more together as she watched, realising that this is where all of her torment began.

She still had the eyesight of her hatchling form however, which was pretty shoddy to say the least. It was rather blurry, and while she could make out some of the details of the things closest to her, like anything attached to her body like the chains, as well as Gaul's large paw, distant features like Gaul's face were incomprehensible. Cynder couldn't even pinpoint exactly where his face was, his green eye completely missing. In fact, his real eye was completely intact.

"It's okay, little one. Very soon, you'll know everything you need to," Gaul rumbled, before stepping back.

The blurry figure raised his arm, before two even larger figures, also chained up, were coaxed into the room, being pulled in by more ape-like figures, two to each creature, slightly smaller than Gaul. The larger figures that were brought in were clearly draconic in shape; Cynder could see that even with her blurry vision, which was slowly beginning to improve as her eyes adjusted to the dark room.

Cynder looked at the two dragons as they slowly became clearer, their features becoming more and more visible. They were clearly in very bad shape, bruises and cuts covering their bodies and loose scales were existent. Cynder squealed loudly, wondering who these figures were. At the sound of her squeal, the two dragons turned to look at her, utter horror and crushing terror possessing the expressions of the two dragons.

They were a young couple, the female a wind dragoness and the male a fire dragon. Their facial build however, made Cynder even more intrigued about them. The wind dragoness had a facial structure much like her own, with a slender face, a long and pointed snout, and long horns. The fire dragon however had a very stocky, round face, but his horns was what intrigued Cynder the most. He had six thick horns jutting out from around his face much like hers; his horns were shorter than hers and were orange in colour, with large rings wrapping around them. Cynder was suddenly hit with cold realisation, a shiver of shock running through her body.

_Could these be… my parents?_

"No! Let her go!" the female screamed, causing the little hatchling's heart to start hammering profusely against her chest, her breathing heavy.

"Gaul, you monster!" shouted the male, embracing his mate comfortingly.

"Shut them up!" Gaul ordered, before the apes that had walked the dragons in started poking them with large spears that crackled with electricity at the tip, causing them to collapse to the ground, brief seizures overtaking them.

The male was the first one to raise his head, glaring daggers at the Ape King. "You let us all go, Gaul," he demanded, his voice low and shaky.

"I answer only to Malefor, worm. He has plans for that whelpling tied up over there," Gaul explained darkly.

"That 'whelpling' is my _daughter_!"

_Oh my ancestors… they are my parents..._ Cynder thought, her mind racing at the fact that she was actually looking at her parents that she had been wondering about her entire life. _They're… they're actually my Mum and Dad..._

Gaul was the one to react at the fire dragon's outburst, grabbing his sword and thrusting it into the dragon's shoulder. He let out a cry of pain, blood beginning to gush down his scales. Even as a hatchling, Cynder could feel herself getting worked up, as if she understood that the red liquid coming out of her father was not meant to be there.

Her more mature mind however was also stressing out. She had suddenly pieced together the fact that she was going to watch her parents get tortured. Probably even killed.

_Wake up! Wake up please! I don't want to see my parents die!_

Try as she might, Cynder didn't wake up, remaining in this nightmare of hers as Gaul stabbed the fire dragon again. The wind dragoness, Cynder's mother, lay beside him, bawling her eyes out in absolute terror. Gaul just laughed maniacally at the fear they displayed, licking his lips and smirking with a sickening grin.

"Now, parents are meant to provide a perfect example to their children right?" he inquired.

"Yes, but what has that got to do with us all being here?" Cynder's father snapped back. "Are you just going to torture and kill us all?"

"No, your little one will stay alive. Very much alive in fact. As for you, however, you get to be watched by your daughter as I cut you to pieces. She will sit here and watch as she learns our ways. And you will provide an example of what she is aiming to achieve. Her victims, lying in a repulsive, blubbering heap on the floor, begging for mercy, just like your mate here," Gaul explained, before raising his sword and wiping the blood on it all along the wind dragoness' bright scales, smearing them with a dark shade of red. "She will be raised underneath us, and will learn how to torture, and most of all, kill."

"You can't do that to her! She's just a kid! She's _my_ kid! Please just leave her alone!" her father shouted, exploding into a cacophony of noise, pleading for mercy.

"Lovren! Lovren, no!" her mother screamed, long and loud, reaching a shaky paw towards her as she remained strapped up to the table.

_My name isn't Cynder?_

"Shut up, bitch!" Gaul growled, kicking the wind dragoness in the face.

"You filthy simian! You threaten to turn my daughter into a murderer and then you go and kick my wife?!" the fire dragon roared, struggling to his paws. "I will make sure you don't see the light of day ever again!"

"Silence the worm!" Gaul ordered, and the electric-tipped spears attacked the fire dragon once more, sending him collapsing back to the ground with heavy spasms as electricity coursed through his frame. "Also, I don't _threaten_. I _do_."

Gaul raised his sword, before slicing it across the fire dragon's back, separating his wings from his body. Blood sprayed everywhere as a loud howl burst from his jaws. Cynder's heart lurched in her chest, and this time a shrill screech was forced out of her chest instead of a little squeal. Tears were starting to blur her vision once again.

The ape stabbed and sliced at Cynder's father continuously, stabbing large holes in his shoulders and face, penetrating his left eye, and his slices taking out large chunks of flesh in his arms, back and face. His left paw had been cut off, as well as even his tongue, which had been caught in the range of the bloodstained sword as he screamed, his mouth wide open. Blood leaked from his entire form, the thick, rich red of the blood putting the natural red of his scales to shame.

With one final slash, Gaul brought the sword along the throat of Cynder's father, silencing his pained cries. Cynder's mother was howling in complete terror, just like Cynder herself was. Throughout her tears, Cynder's mother spat vulgar curses and insults at Gaul, not even caring that her foul words were being heard by her daughter.

Before long however, Gaul moved to the wind dragoness and smiled devilishly. The words died out from her throat as she stared up at him. Gaul raised the sword high, thrusting it down into the dragoness' left eye. Unlike Cynder's father however, Gaul decided to take it slowly with her mother, as he drew the sword slowly down through the eye, causing shrill howls to tear from the throat of the wind dragoness. Cynder's hatchling form was also shrieking at an insanely high pitch, her voice raw and hoarse as she screamed.

Gaul slowly pulled his sword out before thrusting it into the dragoness' other eye. Instead of sliding the sword down through her eye like the first one, he slowly twisted the sword before yanking it out, pulling the eye out with it.

The ape decided to slowly slice through more of the dragoness' face, cutting into the corners of her mouth, purposely slipping and poking the roof of her mouth with the blade, even at one point the back of her throat. He then began to draw on her face with the sword blade, decorating her forehead with three large rounded triangles that Cynder recognised as the pattern on her own forehead. The pattern was quickly lost as blood washed down her forehead, filling in the gaps between the triangles.

It was clear Gaul was finally finished as when he pulled the sword out this time he quickly brought it across the throat of Cynder's mother, killing her instantly and silencing her screams. The only shrill cries left in the room was that of Cynder, the hatchling a screaming, wailing mess.

The hatchling's screaming got worse and worse as Gaul suddenly began to make his way towards her. He knelt down beside her and began shushing her, before he stroked the flat of his blade along her body, smearing her scales with the blood of her parents. Cynder shivered with fear as he brought his other paw towards her, stained with her parents' fresh blood and a sickening grin widening on his face. Forcefully, he shoved his bloodied fingers into her tiny mouth, the blood staining them washing over her tastebuds. It tasted terrible, like a hideous metal that burned her tongue and throat.

"The first blood that you have ever tasted," Gaul smirked, his voice low and full of malice. "Does your parents' blood taste good? Do you want more?"

Cynder wanted to throw up. It was almost like eating an entire ward of rotting bugs, staining her tongue and dripping down her mouth as she cringed at the taste. Gaul slowly began to pull his fingers out of her mouth, but the taste of blood kept lingering. With her mouth empty and free from Gaul's large fingers, Cynder tried swallowing to get rid of the blood, but it only made it worse as the blood began to slowly traverse down her throat, causing her to retch and gag. A feeling of vomit began to grow in her mouth, like a snake that had bitten the inside of her neck. It was a terrible feeling, being so violently sick and ready to throw up, with the taste of blood overpowering everything in her maw.

The blood hit her stomach and at that point it finally enacted its revenge as it brought all its contents back up her throat, the nasty, pungent liquid rushing over her tongue and out of her lips. She only just managed to lean over the table in time as she threw up, spraying the foul liquid all over the end of the table, the smell making Cynder's nostrils burn with disgust. Gaul let out an angry growl as he staggered backwards, vomit covering a large area of his foot.

With a terrible snarl, Gaul slugged Cynder in the face, causing a pained cry to tear from her jaws, her tiny body heaving with sobs. The ape king took a few calm breaths before he spoke to Cynder again, grabbing her neck with a firm paw.

"So were you paying attention to all that? You know what to do? How to kill people? How to put fear into people?" he rumbled. "You like the taste of blood?"

Cynder didn't respond, but Gaul took the silence and lack of a nod of the head as a 'yes'. He smirked at her, showing his blackened teeth.

"Good," he grinned, fear consuming Cynder's tiny body as she lay there, completely bound to the table. "Now it is time for you to… evolve."

Removing his paw from her neck, Gaul made his way to the other side of the table, raising Cynder upwards so that more strain was put onto her tiny arms. She let out a squeal of pain as the table was raised completely upright, her muscles screaming and aching. Gaul turned the table around, making Cynder face what seemed to be a pedestal made of rock.

Three spikes protruded from the sides, almost wanting a head to be placed on top of them. There was writing embroidered on the side, Cynder noticing that it was ancient draconic. It was embroidered with silver, and surrounded by gold swirls. Cynder began to read the writing.

'_Banri ekik wer kornari, put persvek wer whedabra.'_

Cynder trembled with dread and fear, realising that this was no ordinary monument. She could feel Gaul's breath on her shoulder, making it want to wither.

_This is how he did it, _she thought. _This is how it happened._

Gaul pushed the table forward, snarling and giggling vindictively. Cynder couldn't move. Fright filled her heart and her breath went cold as she was pushed further towards the pedestal, knowing what torment was to come. Gaul removed the chains from her neck before placing his paw around it, lifting Cynder onto the pedestal and threatening her with his sword.

"Don't you move now," Gaul warned her. "It will all be over soon."

Cynder looked over to the corner of the room where her parents were laying in their bloody graves, tears beginning to form in her eyes. A shroud of sorrow washed over her as their blood stained the floor, realising that seeing them die was the first and last time that she would ever see her parents. Gaul proceeded to clamp two rather large and rusty chains onto the shackle around Cynder's neck, holding her firmly in place. The ape grinned at her, showing his rotten fangs at the small wind dragoness.

Cynder let out a small squeal of protest as she felt the shackle around her neck tighten, almost cutting into the fragile scales of her young and feeble body. Gaul stood beside her, large paws outstretched ominously towards her, chanting an incantation that seemed to be spoken in an ancient language. Within a few seconds, his paws began to glow with a green mist, whispering and hungry for a mind to consume as they slithered towards her like snakes, moving slowly and menacingly. Cynder tried to backpedal, only finding that her paws were no longer on the ground, but suspended beneath her. Her throat was dry and her heart thundered frantically against her chest like a drum, pounding inside of her ear.

She could only stare, gazing at the serpentine strands of mist as they slithered closer to her, her frightful quivering getting stronger and stronger as tears now forced themselves out of her eyes. She couldn't breathe. Fear had completely destroyed all sense of thought that she had left.

Cynder could hear Gaul laughing maniacally as the mist finally reached her body. The first area of her that the mist came in contact with was her eyes, everything going hazy as her eyes buzzed inside their sockets, flaring up with an unbearable pain, causing her to scream. She felt her chest cramp up as the mist reached it too. Soon her whole body was in pain, her screams tearing at her mind. Before long, her vision began fading to black, as she succumbed to the darkness.

All her senses faded. The last thing she heard was Gaul speaking to her once more.

"You shall be named Cynder, for the ashes and cinders you will bring about this world. Now, arise."

* * *

Bright light filled Cynder's vision again, her eyes aching from the change of vision. In her mind, she hoped that she was in the waking world, but that thought soon turned to ash. She found herself in a large battlefield, smoke choking out the sky and bloody corpses of dragons scattering the ground. A huge explosion went off behind Cynder, almost making her lose her steady flight pattern. She looked back, seeing a large cannon manned by apes, releasing a fiery cannonball into the distance. There was a bright orange flash as it slammed into another group of dragons coming up into the battlefield over the horizon, and bodies were sent flying. None of them got up, being either dead or so critically wounded they couldn't move.

There were still dozens of forms still standing upright and moving across the corpse-scattered battlefield. The majority of them were apes, searching for any dragons that would still be alive, and putting them out of their misery if they did. There were several dragons still upright, moving quickly as they fought large swarms of apes. The dragons may have been bigger and more powerful, but the apes had the numbers and the gun power. Their smaller size also helped them dodge dragons' attacks easier.

Cynder was alerted by a loud, pained groan at her feet. She looked down, noticing a large dragon being pinned to the ground underneath her claws.

_Terrador. Oh no._

The earth guardian was in a horrible condition. Heavy cuts streaked over both his eyes, sending blood dripping into them. His mouth was a bloody mess, several teeth knocked out of place, and his shoulders were covered with stab wounds.

Cynder's attention moved to her paws, which were drenched in a thick red coating of blood. She looked back at her tailblade; it was in the same condition. She clenched her claws tighter, digging them into Terrador's chest and feeling his hot blood rush over her digits.

"You can't… You can't win this, Cynder," Terrador choked, blood spilling out the sides of his mouth as he spoke. "You _won't_ win this."

The black dragoness chuckled evilly, her voice rough and coarse, yet smooth at the same time.

"You say that, earth guardian, yet you've been beaten to a bloody pulp by my paws," she said, her tone of delivery slick and teasing. "You also made the mistake of leading this military operation on your own. Your precious guardian friends aren't here to help you now."

"They will come for me. I believe that with all my heart!"

Cynder's tailblade quickly snaked around to Terrador's throat, the metal blade poking uncomfortably in his flesh. She cackled, before red mist began to build up inside her jaws. She let out a sudden, shrill scream as red sound waves rushed towards Terrador. His expression immediately switched from one of determination and trust to one of fear, his pupils shrinking significantly. The earth guardian was beginning to break as he began to tremble in her hold.

"No, Terrador. They will not," Cynder laughed. "Just be thankful though that I have other plans for you, otherwise I would have killed you long ago."

"Let me go, please…" Terrador whimpered, his deep voice hoarse and cracking amongst the tears that were beginning to form in his eyes, Cynder's fear element distorting his surroundings and accenting the absolute terror swelling inside his heart. "Please, I beg you, Terror… Let me go."

The Terror of the Skies lowered her head towards Terrador, whispering directly in his ear, her breath hot and reeking of rotten blood.

"See, old fool, that's exactly what I will _not_ do. I _need _you. I need your very _essence_, so I can bring my Master back," she breathed.

"No…" Terrador pleaded. "Please no!"

"It will start with you, and then I will take the rest of your pitiful guardian friends and extract their powers from them too. I will reduce all you guardians to a blubbering wreck when I'm done with you, unable to protect the realms from my Master when he returns."

"Anything but that! I'll do _anything_ if you don't try to bring Malefor back! I'll do anything, I _swear_!"

_Ancestors I've never heard Terrador so desperate,_ Cynder thought as she watched this horrific moment unfold in her nightmare. _Sure he's under the influence of my fear element but... he's just so… broken._

The Terror of the Skies let out a growl as she tightened her hold on him, digging her talons further into his flesh. She raised herself, pulling the top of Terrador's torso with her, before she slammed him into the ground with such force that blood went flying out of the earth guardian's lips as he coughed violently.

She turned as she saw some more movement out of the corner of her eye. A large group of apes made their way to her, covered with blood, most of it from the dragons, but some of them were also decently wounded, simian blood mixing with draconic blood.

"Finish up here," Cynder ordered darkly. "Kill every last dragon. I'm taking this one back with me."

Terrador's wordless pleas were ignored as Cynder slammed him into the ground again, shutting him up as he was knocked out, before Cynder took to the skies and flew off with him in her firm hold, blood dripping down his scales and falling like soft, spitting rain onto the battlefield below them.

* * *

Her vision faded once again, echoes of her previous sight whispering away. Cynder longed for this to stop. She couldn't bear to see herself kill anymore of her own kind, let alone one of the guardians. Although the horror of seeing how she became 'Terror,' and capturing one of the guardians, she was finally beginning to piece together the contents of the dark beginning of her life.

Suddenly, her sight began to return to her. As it became clearer and less blurred, she found herself in what seemed like the Valley of Avalar, but wartorn and decimated. The lush fields that she had grown used to were dark and churned up, exposing the dirt. Trees were stripped bare of their leaves, some uprooted from where they stood tall. There was fire everywhere, burning the corpses of dragons and apes that laid in their graves amidst the dirt and fire.

Cynder made her way through the battlefield, slowly walking towards what seemed like an Ice dragon who was lying on the ground and bleeding. He had several large cuts across his arms and a rather large gash that plagued his chest. Cynder recognised him instantly, a sense of dread hitting her heart.

_Cyril too? _Cynder thought to herself. _No wonder they were so hesitant when I first arrived at the temple. Ancestors… the things I've done..._

As she got closer, Cynder realised that there were bodies littered all around the guardian, some with their limbs removed or decapitated. Blood was spilled all over the Valley, turning the ground to what seemed a dark crimson. Cyril had remnants of his armour still intact, but most had been cut through or discarded. The Terror of the Skies loomed over him, a smirk on her face as she licked her lips. She could sense the feeling of vindictive happiness that her Terror form was giving off, as if it was all she lived for.

Cynder grabbed Cyril by the scruff of the neck, lifting him up so that his face was level with hers. Blood was dripping down his chin and out of the corners of his mouth, staining his scales and removing the blue shine that they gave off.

"You should know by now," she whispered menacingly. "You cannot run from Terror, Cyril. If Terrador couldn't do it, then you certainly can't."

"I… d-d-don't care…" Cyril stuttered. "As long as there is breath in our lungs, you will never bring him back. Never!"

Cynder merely scoffed the guardian's words, pushing her claws into the cut across his chest, making him scream in agony. She slowly pulled her claws out again, her paws drenched with red as it streamed from the guardian's chest. Cyril hissed air through his teeth, trying to contain his screams to make himself look strong. He failed as Cynder threw his head back to the ground, forcing a heavy grunt out of him, before she kicked him twice in the gut.

"S-s-stop… please…" Cyril coughed, blood staining his lips as he continued to cough it out.

Cynder's response was two paws that wrapped around the ice guardian's throat. He tried to breathe but let out a whimpering squeak, his eyes going wide. He reached up to Cynder's paws, trying to pry them off him, but she was too strong, the guardian already physically drained. He began to spit out blood, trying to stop it from running down his throat. The blood was moving faster than he could spit however, and he quickly began choking on his own blood, which was now getting stuck in his throat as Cynder constricted it.

Cyril let out another squeak, trying to plead for Cynder's mercy, but he quickly realised the effort was useless. Cynder had absolutely _no_ mercy.

His eyes rolled back in his head as it went limp, and Cynder let go of the unconscious guardian. She gripped his arms and waist, digging her claws into his back as she took off, smirking and laughing as another one of the guardians fell into her capture.

* * *

Cynder's surroundings changed again, causing dread to continue to swell within her. Going from the pattern of what she had already experienced, she knew Volteer's capture was up next, as Ignitus' capture wasn't until much later when Spyro had gotten involved in the war. After watching Terrador and Cyril get taken, she wasn't looking forward to what Volteer's capture had in store for her.

She found herself in what seemed to be a swampy area, mushroom trees and moss everywhere. It was dense with foliage, but not as dense as the swamp had been getting to her destination. Standing in front of her was a large, ancient structure made of cobblestone and sandstone, embroidered with gold symbols.

It was the Dragon Temple.

The Terror of the Skies started marching forward, using her shadow element to slide underneath the closed doors as to not alert anyone who was inside. As she walked stealthily throughout the Temple, she heard two male voices down the halls, following the voices to reach their sources: Volteer and Ignitus.

"Ignitus, surely you can formulate _some_ solution inside that thinking contraption of yours. We _need_ to rescue Terrador and Cyril," Volteer murmured.

"I can't!" Ignitus moaned, sounding in pain from thinking too much. "I can't see anything in the Pool of Visions, and Cynder's forces will be guarding Terrador and Cyril heavily! I don't see how we can get them back without losing more soldiers!"

There was a small moment of silence, before Ignitus sighed. He sounded hope-deprived, almost defeated as his will had lost all meaning.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to take out my anger on you," he murmured. "This war has been going on for twelve years now. It's starting to get to me. And now, with half of the guardian team taken away with who knows what is being done to them, I'm more stressed than ever."

Cynder turned the corner as the voices became clearer and clearer, before walking into the meeting room. Ignitus was hunched over the Pool of Visions, head in his paws, his face contorted with utter hopelessness. There was no presence in his eyes.

_I did this to Ignitus? I always thought he was the strongest out of all of the guardians, being the leader of them, _Cynder thought as she stared through her Terror form's eyes at the depressed fire guardian. _He's just… gone. He's lost himself. Ancestors, what have I done?_

Volteer reached out with a shaky paw, putting it on Ignitus' shoulder. He sensed how troubled and worried Ignitus was from his tense posture, but he could also see it in his eyes.

"Hey, we'll find a way through these trials," he said softly. "I'll make sure I remain positioned by your side from now on. We won't be taken."

Such irony those words held.

The Terror of the Skies slid into her shadow again, moving silently behind the guardians. They didn't seem to notice the moving shadow on the ground, too focused on each other. She stood behind Volteer, before rising ominously out of her shadow. She saw Volteer register the sudden presence behind him, but he couldn't react in time.

Cynder punched Volteer in the head, knocking him down onto the cold floor below. The electric guardian quickly recovered, breathing a beam of electricity at Cynder. She dodged by ducking into her shadow, rushing underneath Volteer and throwing him into the air from underneath. She grabbed Volteer and swung him around towards Ignitus, who was screaming with shock, his eyes gleaming with sheer terror and desperation.

Volteer and Ignitus both fell to the ground with a heavy thud, a tangle of limbs and wings lying before Cynder. The electric guardian quickly rolled off his comrade, before standing to his paws and rushing towards Cynder, claws outstretched. Cynder dodged the set of claws rushing her way, before retaliating with her own strike. Cynder's attack landed its mark, leaving bloody lines along Volteer's face. The electric guardian staggered backwards, his breath catching in his throat as he felt the wall behind him.

Cynder marched towards him, before grabbing the electric guardian and slamming him against the wall. Volteer cried in pain at the impact of his skull hitting the wall with such force. He was propelled into the wall again, and then a third time, before he was punched in the chest, causing him to collapse. The back of his head was already bleeding quite badly, having been cracked open from hitting the heavy wall three times in a row.

The beating was not over yet as Cynder made quick work of him, slugging him up the jaw twice, before she dug her claws into his shoulders and dragged them down along his arms. Volteer cried out, blood gurgling in the back of his throat as it began filling his mouth from getting hit in the jaw. Cynder pulled her claws out of Volteer's arms, before slashing them across his chest, leaving behind a large, bloody cross mark.

The Terror of the Skies finally relented, leaving Volteer coughing up blood all over himself, adding to the blood that was already on his face, chest and arms. Volteer tried to turn himself around, looking over to Ignitus who stood in the corner of the room, a look of horror on his face, eyes wide and jaw slack, his bottom lip quivering.

"Ignitus…" Volteer croaked, wincing as he heard his blood dripping onto the ground with an irregular _plip plop_ sound. "Help…"

Volteer collapsed to the ground again as Cynder kicked him in the gut. His shout was harsh to the ears, his voice cracking. Her gaze then followed Volteer's towards Ignitus. As soon as the fire guardian made eye contact with the she-devil, he turned and bolted, fear controlling his every move.

"Ignitus, NO!" Volteer screamed, his words slurred by his lack of breath and the blood bubbling in his maw. "Don't leave me! Help!"

"No one's here to help you now Volteer," Cynder chuckled darkly. "And it looks like your leader is too terrified to come and help you."

_That… coward… _Cynder gasped in thought. _He just… left him? Why?_

"He will find help. I _know_ it," Volteer coughed.

She slugged him in the face again. Volteer would have a black eye the next day, she was sure of it. Cynder punched him again, making sure his eye would be extra dark and swollen.

"Stop lying to yourself," Cynder snarled teasingly, a hideous smile pulling at her lips and exposing her gleaming fangs. "He's never coming back."

"Ignitus… why?" Volteer croaked as tears started to slip down his face.

Cynder slugged him in the face again, finally knocking him out. She grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, before dragging his bloodied form out of the Dragon Temple. When she walked back into the swampy marshland, she spread out her wings, adjusting her hold on Volteer so it was a lot firmer, before she took off, flying to Volteer's prison.

_He just left him… like he was nothing… He really was just a coward…_

* * *

"If only life were that easy little one."

Cynder's heart suddenly lifted as soon as she heard those words, knowing that she would see Spyro again. After a few seconds, he was standing in front of her, Sparx flying by his side and a stern expression on his face. Spyro was far smaller than he was in his current state. His wings were slightly folded back, and not yet fully grown. His paws were roughly the size of a swamp mushroom, but his heart and will made up for that fact. Cynder could see the determination in his eyes, shining like the sun as she stared.

_He hasn't changed one bit, _Cynder thought to herself. _He does look adorable though._

Cynder circled him with malicious intent, as Spyro showed, not fear, but concern for the guardian in Cynder's custody. Sparx on the other hand, was shivering with utter terror. One thing that Cynder did notice however, was that Sparx had actually grown an inch or two over the span that they were apart. Spyro lowered himself into his battle stance, which had not yet been perfected. His paws were too wide apart, and his back not arched enough.

_He would probably slap himself in the face if he saw his stance right now, _Cynder chuckled in her thoughts. _He does take pride in that stance of his._

"It's time you learn how complicated life can be," she hissed, her voice dry and cold.

"Run! Spyro! Save yourself!"

Cynder knew that voice all too well. It was Ignitus'. She suddenly remembered that at this point, she had captured him too, knowing that she only needed one more crystal to release Malefor.

"Not this time; this time… I _fight_," Spyro reprimanded, clenching his paws and fixing his gaze on Cynder who cackled maniacally.

"Bring it."

Spyro suddenly lurched forward, his paws outstretched and clenched. Cynder merely brushed him to the side, sending him tumbling into a pillar. He shook off the impact and immediately flew back towards Cynder, dodging the initial attack and a swipe of her tail. Spyro smacked her shoulder with a tail strike, making her lose her balance a little. She growled at the pain, rotating her arm so that it clicked before spinning and landing a direct hit onto Spyro's face and creating a deep cut on his cheek. The purple dragon clutched the cut, blood staining his paw. The Terror of the Skies merely smirked at him, making a motion with her paw that seemed to resemble a 'come at me' motion.

Spyro picked himself up and surged towards Cynder, keeping himself firmly on the ground this time. Cynder tried to hit him with her paw, Spyro dodging using a swift roll to the left. Cynder backpelled slightly, sending another tail strike towards Spyro, but missing its mark. The purple dragon clenched his paw, smacking Cynder square in the face with a glowing green fist powered by earth, sending her tumbling to the floor.

* * *

Cynder suddenly awoke from her series of nightmares, her breathing hard and a searing pain in her cheek. She looked around, finding herself in what seemed like a holding cell, her paws suspended above her. They were contained by a steel bar with a chain that was clamped to the end of it, connecting the shackles that were locked around her paws. Remnants from the nightmare still lingered in her mind. Were those dragons truly her parents? Was Cynder not her name? Was Ignitus just a cowardly old dragon?

She pushed herself forward, realising that the chains were held tightly around her paws, keeping her constricted. Cynder peered down to her left, seeing that Sparx was locked in a lantern and providing light for both of them.

"Oh good, you're up," Sparx said, crossing his arms. "I think they were just starting to remember me."

"You're kidding me right?" Cynder replied, scoffing at Sparx's statement. "The second that you tried to act all high and mighty, they spat at you. Kinda what I would do to be honest."

"Hey, it was probably a sign of respect," Sparx defended.

"Really? You think that spitting on you and then locking you in a lantern is a sign of respect?" Cynder asked him, getting slightly annoyed. "Ancestors, you're more stupid than Timber when he's drunk."

Sparx rolled his eyes, turning his back on Cynder and looking towards the wall.

"And for the record Sparx, if you didn't open that fat gob of yours, then we wouldn't be in this situation," Cynder continued angrily. "Now we've wasted more time and Spyro is getting sicker by the minute!"

"You don't think I know that?!" Sparx suddenly shouted, clenching his fists. "I'm trying my best here okay?! Yeah okay, I'm stupid! I get in the way! But nothing is going to hurt my brother! Nothing! Cause I won't let it!"

Cynder was slightly taken aback at his outburst, remembering her nightmare and all that Sparx had been through.

"I promised my Mum and Dad that I would take care of him when I left the swamp. I promised them, Cynder!"

"AT LEAST YOU HAD A MUM AND DAD TO TALK TO!" Cynder screamed, tears welling in her eyes. "I NEVER MET MINE!"

"That's not my problem!" Sparx replied. "If you want to sulk about it then sure! But do me a favour and stop slicing my wings for every prison we end up in!"

"SILENCE!"

Cynder and Sparx's attention suddenly snapped towards the cell door, a familiar face looking in through the bars.

"Kane?"

"Hello gnat," Kane smirked. "I see you haven't changed a bit."

Kane's gaze suddenly turned from Sparx to Cynder, his eyes full of suspicion and a twinge of hate.

"As for you, are you ready to repent your sins?"

* * *

**Phew, okay this chapter took way too long to write. I hope you guys are all doing okay about the recent Corona outbreak. My school has been shut and I'm having to work a lot more so that is why this chapter has taken a while to come out so I apologise for that. Let me know what you guys thought of the chapter in a review, as I would love to see what you guys think. Thanks to SKda for beta-reading for me, he did a lot in this chapter that really helped with the flow so a massive thank you to him.**

**Hope you guys have a great afternoon, morning or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… signing off ^_^**


	20. CH18: A Tightening Noose

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone! Welcome back to another chapter! Chapter 18… damn… This has been amazing so far and writing this story has been the most enjoyable experience for me. The reviews that I have been getting have all been positive and amazing, thank you so much to all of you who have reviewed the last chapter:**

**\- IllusionMaster  
\- TARDIS  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- Atlas FF  
\- Dothurnaax**

**Thank you so much for reading my story. It means the world. This chapter is going to be… quite concerning for some of you, but I hope you all enjoy the chapter regardless, and without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains blood and gore as usual. Reader Discretion is advised.**

* * *

**Chapter 18: A Tightening Noose**

A shroud of fear and worry fell upon the chamber, Spyro's bloody form lying on the table in the centre of the room. Terrador and Volteer were watching over him, horrified at the state of the purple dragon. Spyro was struggling for breath, his chest constricting and his wounds pumping out blood with each trembling breath that he took. He had two long and vicious lacerations down his arms, blood leaking out of the sides of them and spilling out onto the table before dripping onto the floor. His leg was also horribly broken, its bone seeming to have been snapped in half like a twig.

Volteer tried to maintain himself as he continued peering at the sight before him, a paw over his mouth to stop himself from gagging. Blood was everywhere. Spyro's body was completely submerged in a tidal wave of the liquid of life, shining a deep crimson as the sun blared through the window.

"We need to get him out of here," Terrador said breathlessly, making his way closer to Spyro. "Do you have anything to stop the bleeding Volteer?!"

"I have no such devices in my possession, Terrador," Volteer replied worriedly.

Terrador swore, his breath ragged and heavy as he looked down upon the bleeding form of Spyro. His throat constricted, his heart racing faster than it should. Volteer was frozen and completely horrified at the sight of Spyro, his heart filled with a wave of worry. Terrador gave a low growl as he quickly burst into action, rushing past Volteer and running towards Spyro, trying to pick him up. He felt his paws step into the cold blood beneath the table, staining them like a harsh crayon.

"Volteer! Help me get Spyro onto my back!" he barked, his usually strong voice shaking with fear for Spyro. "Volteer! NOW!"

"Uh… right!" Volteer answered, snapping himself out of the trance of shock that he was in.

The electric guardian rushed forward, lifting up Spyro's bloodied form and rolling him over onto Terrador's back as he lay beside the table. Terrador stood, creating three rings of rock around himself and Spyro, strapping the purple dragon to his back. He felt Spyro's blood trickle down his back and sides, feeling it's sickening, sticky presence make its way down his form.

Volteer felt even more fear wash over him, hearing Terrador's hard breath and seeing the look of terror and urgency on his face. His chest heaved irregularly with every breath, and it unsettled him greatly. He had never in his long years of life seen Terrador this tense or worried before. Volteer was suddenly left behind as Terrador took off quicker than the electric guardian had ever seen, racing out of the chamber and towards the hallway. Terrador's panting was loud and could be heard even down the corridor as he ran.

Volteer quickly took off after Terrador, catching up to him as best as he could, using his electric element to give him that extra energy to speed up as he electrified his legs. He caught up to the thundering earth dragon as they both slammed out of the Dragon Temple doors, rushing out into daylight and blinding their eyes slightly. Storming through the market, they surged past a crowd of horrified and concerned faces, only focusing on the path ahead.

"Out of the way!" Terrador ordered as he barged through crowds of dragons en route to the infirmary. "Move!"

"Excuse us! Do excuse us! Coming through! Pardon me!" Volteer announced as he sped through the crowd, knocking over the unfortunate form of Digger in the process.

Many shocked, terrified faces were cast their way as they ran, locking eyes with the stressed, terrified expressions of the guardians, before turning towards the blood-soaked form of Spyro. Volteer looked towards Spyro, seeing his blood being pushed out of his body the more Terrador pushed his legs faster, the speed at which they ran not helping the blood loss that Spyro was suffering. Blood streamed down Spyro's body and over Terrador's flanks, painting them a dark crimson and falling onto the ground below, leaving behind a long trail of red splotches.

Before long, they arrived at the infirmary, rushing through the doors with a slam and making the receptionist jump in the process. Terrador and Volteer caught their breaths and made their way in quickly, frantically looking around for Sapphire.

"SAPPHIRE!" Terrador screamed, his voice cracking at the force behind the scream, blood dripping onto the floor of the infirmary. "SAPPHIRE, WHERE IS SHE?!"

Thundering pawsteps came from down the hall as Sapphire came to meet them, Frisia behind her. Horrified expressions formed on their faces as they saw Spyro lying on Terrador's back, blood smothering both dragons. Sapphire muttered a heavy curse before running towards an operation room, wordlessly urging the guardians to follow her.

"Put him on the table, now!" Sapphire barked as they entered, and Terrador quickly called back the rings of stone around him and Spyro, rolling the purple dragon onto the table. "Frisia, grab the gems!"

Frisia flung the cupboard door open, snatching the basket from the shelf and giving it to Sapphire. Volteer sat himself down in the corner, backing himself into the wall and quivering slightly. He stood with shock, having never seen Terrador so flustered in his life. He wasn't faring well either, his knees quaking and his lungs constricting, making it hard to breath. Terrador was always so calm in situations like this. Now, however, the strong earth dragon was a miserable, nervous wreck, eyes latched onto Spyro with fear. His breathing was ragged and irregular, and he lowered his haunches to the ground, raising a forepaw to his chest as he tried to control his breathing.

Meanwhile, Sapphire was immediately at the red gems, cracking them over Spyro's wounds rapidly. Frisia held what seemed to be a large white cloth over some of Spyro's wounds, desperately attempting to stop the blood from leaking out of his body.

"He's losing too much blood!" Sapphire exclaimed, managing to close some of the wounds but still not enough. "Hand me that tourniquet!"

Frisia did what she was told and passed Sapphire a thin plastic wire which she wrapped around Spyro's arm, tightening it so it stopped enough blood flow. Frisia then grabbed another, mimicking Sapphire's actions and putting it around the other arm. The dragonesses cracked more gems over Spyro's body, closing the wounds to an extent where blood loss was starting to slow. The room fell silent, only filled by the harsh and quick breathing of the dragons that were present. Sapphire took a deep breath and steadied herself before addressing the guardians before her. Frisia was also sweating and out of breath, having to perch herself on the edge of the table so as to not collapse. She too was now covered in blood, her paws dripping with Spyro's life fluid.

"We have stopped most of the blood loss, but his wounds are so substantial that… his body needs to heal them on its own," Sapphire explained, her paws glistening with blood under the infirmary lights. "We've done all we can. From the wounds I've seen, Spyro shouldn't be alive after lacerations like that. The amount of his blood smeared all over Terrador is enough to prove that."

Terrador and Volteer's eyes flicked to the earth guardian's flanks. Dark red blood painted them, devouring the earthy green scales that Terrador sported. Terrador just mumbled wordlessly, his eyes not moving from his sticky, blood-soaked scales.

"You forget Sapphire, Spyro is the purple dragon," Volteer replied, clearing his throat as he brought his gaze back to the healer. "He is also driven by love, a very dominant and overpowering force that will wipe out any evil."

Sapphire just nodded, looking back at Spyro with concern. It had been _years_ since she last saw anyone this bloody and battered. Since the _war_. With all the events going on with Spyro, as well as the new problem with his horrid state, she was now starting to get extremely worried. What was coming? Frisia's voice suddenly brought Sapphire out of her thoughts.

"Terrador? Are you alright?" the ice dragoness asked.

Sapphire looked back to Terrador and Volteer, and she only just now seemed to notice Terrador's terrified, flustered expression as he tried to calm himself down. Volteer looked worried, but nowhere near as upset as the earth guardian looked as he struggled to keep himself upright.

"Yeah… Yeah I'm fine," Terrador murmured, his breathing heavy and forced, still slightly rushed but slowly returning to a normal speed. "It's been twenty years, you know? I've never had this much blood all over my body since then. I've never _seen_ that much... blood at once since then."

"Nobody wants to go back to the past Terrador," Sapphire said softly. "We all live in the here and now… but something like this just… opens old wounds. For all of us."

"You know I still blame myself for Daeryn's death," Terrador mumbled. "If I had been there…"

"But you had to defend the gate, there was nothing anyone could do Terrador," Sapphire explained, a tear welling in her eye.

Volteer saw this, and stepped forward hesitantly, placing a paw on her back to calm her. She gave him a thankful smile before placing his paw in hers.

"I'm fine," Sapphire smiled, wiping her eyes with her tailblade.

Volteer returned the smile and went back to the corner of the room, Terrador producing a small smile as he saw this. Terrador walked forward towards Spyro, his breath trembling and looking upon his form with sad eyes.

"He's been through enough," Terrador mumbled angrily. "Why can't this world just give him some peace?"

Volteer opened his mouth to reply, until they heard thundering pawsteps from down the corridor. All four heads turned to the door as Cyril ran in, sweat caking his forehead as worry clouded his eyes. He skidded as he ran inside, breathing heavy.

"Is Spyro okay?! I heard that he was wounded and being taken here!" Cyril shouted, before he drifted off when he saw Spyro's bloody form on the table.

The ice guardian looked over at Terrador, Volteer, Sapphire and Frisia, noticing the blood covering their scales, mostly on Terrador and Sapphire.

"Are… are you guys hurt too? I…" he stammered.

"No, Cyril. We're… we're fine," Volteer breathed. "It's… The blood is… all Spyro's."

"What…?" Cyril gasped, noticing the lacerations on Spyro arms, now barely open, but still very bloody. "That monster…! He'll pay for his actions."

"Dad, there's nothing you can do for him right now," Frisia interjected, stopping Cyril in his tracks as he moved towards Spyro. "He's stable, that's the best we're going to get."

"But… how? How did he end up… like this?"

"If I may interrupt, I believe I have a theory," Volteer interrupted, clearing his throat. "I believe that Mortem has created a telekinetic transfer between himself and Spyro, burying so far into his mind that he can hurt him both physically, and mentally. Everything you see here, the cuts on his arms, his neck. Everything here is real… and done in his subconscious."

"But how is that possible? That is simply impossible, Volteer!" Terrador exclaimed.

"See for yourself," Volteer replied calmly as he lifted up Spyro's paw, displaying shackle scars on his wrists.

Terrador just stammered, trying to come up with anything to contradict Volteer's theory in hopes that Spyro was not being harmed in such a terrible way in his subconscious, but he couldn't. The evidence was there. Spyro was being tortured, and it brought tears to his eyes to think about that. The purple dragon had already endured a war, fighting in it as a child, and being exposed to so many horrors. On top of that, he had no biological family to call his own; Cynder was the only family he had. Spyro had been seemingly alone for so many years, having only one person to call family and only a few friends, with the rest of Warfang being his 'adoring fans'. Now he really was alone, stuck in his subconscious, being tortured to no end.

Why did Spyro have to suffer any more? Why was he the target in all this? Spyro didn't need any more horror, violence and fear in his life. Nobody here did. Malefor had exposed _everyone_ to all that. But Spyro and Cynder had experienced his wrath first-hand.

"This is not fair," Terrador suddenly spoke out loud. "It should be me lying here, not Spyro."

"And he would be out there, getting the elemental stones with Cynder," Frisia replied. "We'd be in the exact same situation as we are now."

"Well said Frisia," Volteer spoke up. "We cannot base this incident on 'what ifs' or 'it shoulds;' all we need to worry about is finding out what we need to know about Mortem, and what we do to help Spyro."

"You're right Volteer, thank you," Terrador murmured, lowering his head. "I just question why it has to be _him_…"

"My old friend, I would like empart some helpful information unto you. All of us know how close you have become to both Spyro and Cynder. We all have gotten very close to them, and we must help them along by any means necessary, even if that does mean helping Cyril out with the laundry."

Terrador nodded, taking a deep breath, cursing himself for showing his emotions, something he rarely did. He looked down to Spyro again, the sight still tearing at his heart. Silence swallowed the room as every eye followed Terrador's, latching onto Spyro.

The silence lasted for only a few more seconds before Spyro jolted with a grating, wet cough, causing everyone to jump back in shock. He coughed again, this time spitting up a long stream of blood that sprayed all over his chest. Terrador had to step back even further to avoid getting even more blood on him.

"Where… a-a-am I-I-I? Help… me…" Spyro gasped as tears clouded his vision, choking on the blood spilling from his lips.

"Grab the towel, Frisia!" Sapphire yelled, placing her paws beneath Spyro's mouth in an attempt to keep it open. "It's Sapphire, Spyro, you're going to be okay. You're in the infirmary."

"W-W-Where's… Cyn… der? Is... s-s-s-she here?" Spyro spluttered, his eyes bloodshot and torn as Frisia wiped around the outside of his mouth.

Terrador sighed sadly, ready to break the news that Cynder was not here at that current time, until Spyro spoke again, his eyes suddenly lighting up, a small, shaky smile pulling at his lips.

"C-C-Cynder… you're… here…" Spyro stammered, reaching his paw out towards the empty space before him.

"What's happening to him?" Cyril asked the room.

"One of Mortem's tricks," Volteer said through gritted teeth. "It's a hallucination, one of Cynder. It's what he wants most."

Spyro tried reaching out further, trying to lift his torso off the table, only to be stopped by the paws of Frisia and Sapphire.

"Spyro, you need to stay still. You need to heal," she said firmly.

"But C-C-Cynder's right th-there!" Spyro pleaded, fighting back against the healers pressing him back against the table.

"No, she's not, Spyro," Volteer replied sadly. "It's just a hallucination. It's Mortem playing tricks on you."

Spyro's expression suddenly turned to one of sour, cold anger as he began to quake with fury at the mere mention of the name. He gritted his teeth and clenched his paws, his amethyst eyes now darting from corner to corner.

"That… That… BASTARD!" Spyro thundered, putting a strain on his wounds.

"Spyro stop!" Frisia yelled.

Spyro gave a heavy jolt underneath Frisia and Sapphire's hold, trying to fight himself free. Frisia slipped, only just managing to keep her stance and hold on Spyro. Sapphire gave a strained growl as she too tried to keep Spyro down on the table.

"COME OUT AND FACE ME! GET OUT OF MY HEAD AND FIGHT ME!" Spyro roared, spittle flying from his lips. "I'LL TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!"

"ARE YOU GOING TO HELP OR WHAT?!" Sapphire shouted over Spyro's roars. "I CAN'T DO MUCH WHEN HE'S FLAILING AROUND LIKE THIS! WE NEED TO HOLD HIM DOWN!"

Terrador and Volteer rushed forward, adding to the pressure being put down on Spyro, but his screams of bloody murder only worsened as he fought against the dragons holding him, wanting to get out at the hallucination standing in the corner of the room. He thrashed his limbs around, trying to break free.

Spyro managed to free his left arm from underneath Frisia's hold, walloping her in the chest as he brought it up. Frisia staggered backwards with a pained groan, Cyril running to his daughter's side to make sure she was alright. Volteer leaned forward to grab the free arm, but Spyro swung it about and slammed his fist hard in Volteer's face. The guardian took it head-on, managing to keep his stance and grabbing Spyro's wrist just afterwards, holding it firmly as it quaked in mid-air. Volteer growled as he tried to push the arm back down to the table, ignoring the hot blood that was dribbling from his nostrils and into his mouth.

Volteer noticed that Spyro's eyes were now starting to glow a soulless white, realising that Mortem was in control of his actions.

"Cyril! Take over for me!" Volteer exclaimed, moving over to the other side of the table, noticing Cyril spring into action in his peripheral vision. "Spyro, it's Volteer! Think about Cynder, think about everything you love about her. What did you say when you married Cynder? What were your vows?"

"GO BACK TO THE HOLE YOU CLIMBED OUT OF! I'LL RIP YOUR THROAT OUT!"

Volteer tightened his grip on Spyro, fighting against the convulsions from his angry stupor. Volteer spoke again, his voice plagued with heavy urgency and a firm tone, rasping a little as he shouted.

"Spyro! You must listen to me! Think of Cynder! Think of everything that you have done with her. Remember your vows!"

Spyro's face suddenly dropped from an expression of rage to one of realisation, the tenseness in his muscles starting to cease.

"T-T-Till… the d-d-day… I d-d-die…"

Volteer's eyes widened, knowing that his technique was working, hearing Spyro's voice shake and slowly calm from the angry roars he had once been letting out.

"Yes! Yes that's it! Describe her to me. What do you love about her?" Volteer asked Spyro, a hopeful smile emerging on his maw.

Spyro's eyes were beginning to return to their normal colour, and his convulsions were beginning to cease.

"She's… she's the most b-b-b-beautiful thing I've ever laid… my eyes on. Her scales s-s-s-s-shine like the sun… in the morning… her eyes, like the most polished emeralds, enough to weaken even the strongest of armours… a-a-and… it melts my heart everytime…" Spyro gasped, a smile, created on nostalgic grounds, forming on his maw. "When she walked out… into the sunlight after our wedding I… I never f-f-felt… happier. S-S-She was… glowing… like an angel… She's my Cynder… My Cynder..."

The room suddenly fell silent, Spyro's gaze remaining fixed onto the ceiling. Volteer was listening intently, a soft smile on his maw and a tear in his eye. Never had her heard such a speech of pure love in his life.

"How much do you love Cynder, Spyro?" Frisia asked him, holding his paw.

"Words… c-can't describe it…" he replied. "S-S-She's… my second… heartbeat…"

The entire room breathed a sigh of relief as Spyro's pupils returned to their normal shade of amethyst, Volteer removing his grip on Spyro's paws and giving everyone the all clear. Spyro suddenly brought himself upright, his breathing quick and his eyes darting from side to side. He yelled out in pain as the nature of his injuries suddenly caught up with him, making his expression turn to one of absolute terror.

"He's… He's… coming… there's nothing I can do… there's nothing I can do," Spyro repeated, burying his head in his paws.

"Spyro! Spyro, it's okay. You're safe," Sapphire said with haste, trying to calm the purple dragon.

"Sapphire? Terrador?" he gasped, turning his head to survey his surroundings. "Where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary," Terrador explained. "We brought you here because of your injuries."

Spyro's mind suddenly raced with images of his torture, Mortem's sickening grin making its appearance. His taunts and his devilish voice echoed in his head, the memories of the pain flaring up inside him. He looked around, the first thing registering in his vision was the table he was lying on as well as the operating tools on the bench across from him.

Fear hammered him, causing his brain to twist the images he saw, the operating tools looking like long sharp tools to hurt him, and the table feeling larger than it really was, making him feel small and restrained. His arms were stretched out as they had been in his mind when Mortem tortured him.

Spyro's breath caught in his lungs as he let his mind run away from him, his thoughts and sight tainted by fear. His chest heaved with each heavy, ragged, irregular breath and more tears began to spring to his eyes. A few small whimpers left his mouth as his eyes flickered around frantically, not even registering that the forms surrounding him were friendly.

The purple dragon let out a sudden, frightened scream as he scrambled backwards, almost falling off the table, as a soft, gentle paw touched his shoulder. He paused as he finally noticed that it was Frisia. The ice dragoness had recoiled from Spyro's outburst, but slowly put her paw back on his shoulder calmly.

"It's alright, Spyro. You're with friends," she shushed softly. "You're safe."

Spyro's eyes scanned the room again, finally piecing together where he was. He was in the infirmary, in an operation room. All three guardians stood there, gazes filled with concern, and Sapphire by their sides. He looked down at his body, noticing it had been patched up as much as possible. Several wounds were still open and raw, pink flesh exposed through the bruised purple scales. He noticed thin rings of wire wrapped tightly around his arms, holding them together and trying to stop the blood flow. His arms were the only thing that was still trickling with blood, red gems and the tourniquet unable to fully stop the bleeding.

He looked back up at Frisia, who looked down on him with a caring smile. Such an expression killed him inside. Having been under such a condescending, evil gaze for so long, he'd almost forgotten what the loving gaze of a friend felt like. His walls broke and immediately he started sobbing, reaching up and pulling Frisia into a heavy, strong hug, his whimpers long and loud.

The purple dragon could hear the guardians gasping and whispering, stepping closer to him, but all he bothered tuning into was Frisia's soft voice shushing him gently.

"It's alright, Spyro. You're safe," she whispered into his ear. "We're here."

"I… I was… so s-s-scared," Spyro sobbed, choking on his heavy tears, fighting to breathe. "He… H-h-he…"

"It's okay, Spyro. Calm down, then tell us what happened," Volteer said gently. "There's no need to make it worse by trying to tell us in the middle of a breakdown."

Spyro just nodded, continuing to let his tears out as he held tightly onto Frisia. He was so happy to be back with his friends, to be met with kindness rather than pain. He needed this. He didn't know how much longer he could take in that hell hole he had been prisoner in for so long.

After a few minutes, he managed to calm himself down, taking deep, shuddering breaths as he looked at the guardians again. They, especially Terrador, were all covered with blood, which Spyro could only guess was his due to his wounds from when Mortem tortured him. The fact that he was covered in scars and had tourniquets around his still bleeding arms proved that theory. He felt terrible.

Frisia slowly lowered him back down to the table, feeling Spyro was calmed down enough to handle leaving the embrace. She stepped back, allowing Spyro to lay his eyes on all five dragons at once.

"So, uh… what… what happened?" Terrador murmured, his own voice shaking slightly.

"I… I was… tortured. Mortem strung me up in chains, hanging me in mid-air so I couldn't move, forced to endure that devil's torture. He cut into me, slowly… _agonisingly_ slowly. He played with my soul… my mind. He manipulated me. He changed his form into those I love… just to torture me even further! He turned into Cynder, and he… he laughed at me! He _taunted_ me, as he pulled my flesh from the bone!"

At this point, Spyro's voice rose into a painful roar, more tears starting to stream down his face.

"He tortured me to breaking point and left me there a heaving, disgusting, bloody wreck on the ground to wallow in my own sorrow and agony, while he _laughed_! He _smiled_ as he tore at my flesh, scraped at my bones, pulled at my leg! That sick bastard got _enjoyment_ out of watching me suffer, just to instill fear and pain into me, because he 'needs' me!"

Spyro stopped, trying to find what words to say next, the guardians and healers looking down on him with concern, making him feel little again. He let out a roar of agony and fear, clutching his head firmly and beginning to tear at it. Cyril was the first one to run forward and grab his paws, pulling them away from his head, which now bore long red lines on each temple.

"I don't want to go back in there, please don't let me go back in there," Spyro moaned, his voice hoarse and thick with emotion. "I don't want to fall unconscious again. I don't want to _sleep_. I can't sleep. I can't go back there! Because if I do, he'll send me right back there just to tear my body open again, and it'll be worse than now, I swear to the ancestors! I SWEAR! Please! Make it stop!"

"Spyro. You're safe with us," Cyril said, surprising everyone, especially Terrador, with how gentle he was being towards the purple dragon. "No matter how long you stay with us, we will make sure you are safe and that you are being cared for."

"I've never been so desperate to be around friends…" Spyro sobbed, gritting his teeth firmly to try and hold his emotions in. "I can't go back there. I can't see his face again. I just can't!"

The purple dragon raised his paw, stained with his own blood from tearing at his head, resting it on Cyril's arm. He was too powerless to take hold of it firmly, but Cyril held the paw to his bright cyan scales for him.

"We're with you, Spyro. We'll do anything to help you. Always," the ice guardian reminded Spyro.

"Well said, Cyril," Terrador added. "For now, you must rest Spyro. Your wounds are great and will take time to heal."

Spyro nodded, lying back down as Cyril let go of his paw. He shook his head with a soft whine.

"Hey Terrador? Where's Cynder?" he asked.

"She's gone to find the Chronicler, Spyro. She's out to find a cure for you. She's going to save you, okay?" Frisia said. "She'll come back with a cure."

"But how can I be cured from this?"

"I don't know, but that doesn't matter. Cynder's going to help you," Terrador said. "She's on her way to the Chronicler to ask for help. Maybe he'll know how to finally get rid of that parasite."

"Maybe… it seems like nothing can get rid of that monster..." the purple dragon sighed. "Is she safe?"

"We don't know, but we know that she is strong," Volteer replied. "I doubt anyone will be able to touch her."

"Yeah, she'll do it… I know she will…"

There was a short silence before Spyro's head began to turn to the side, his eyelids beginning to close.

"I can feel him pulling me back," Spyro murmured, his voice quivering with fear once again. "I don't want to go back there. Please don't make me go back..."

"We believe in you, Spyro. It'll be alright," Sapphire replied. "Stay strong. May the ancestors watch over you."

Sapphire didn't know if Spyro heard her. His eyes had closed before she finished. She took a deep breath, nervousness flooding her.

"Out of all the patients I've worked with, this is something entirely new," she murmured. "It terrifies me."

"This is an uncertain time for all of us, Sapphire," Frisia said. "Who knows what the ancestors have in store for us?"

Silence flooded the room once again, all eyes fixed once again on the sleeping form of Spyro. Terrador stepped forward and placed his paw on Spyro's forehead.

"We will watch over you, purple dragon," he whispered, eyes closed and his tone firm. "Use your power and spirit to vanquish the evil inside. Trust in yourself Spyro, and you will succeed."

Terrador removed his paw from Spyro's forehead and opened his eyes. Although he knew that Mortem was getting stronger, Terrador's faith in Spyro was unaltered. As he gazed upon his form, Terrador could only hope that Cynder was close to reaching her goal, to stop Mortem… from achieving his devilish plan.

* * *

**There we have it! Chapter 18 is done! Sorry for being so inactive for so long. I was building a brand new PC which took a couple of w****eeks, and decided to step away from writing to clear my head a little. But going away from that, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter nonetheless and are staying safe during this isolation. Take care everyone!**

**Hope you're all having an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… Signing off ^_^**


	21. CH19: Friends of a Kind

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Everyone! Welcome back to another chapter. Hope you're all staying safe and well during the outbreak. Thank you so much for over Thirteen thousand views! That is just… wow… Just thank you so much for that. I cannot believe that this story has got this much of a reception and it has completely exceeded my expectations. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed this story!:**

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**When we reach 14K, I will try and get another chapter out within the next week as a thank you for all of your continued support and amazing reviews. Thank you so much to all of you. If I have missed any of you off, let me know and I'll add you in the next one. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

**Now without further ado…**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 19: Friends of a Kind**

The sun began to rise in the east, barely peeking over the top of the buildings, a chilled wind whipped through the streets, a blanket of orange beginning to plaster the sky. Autumn was beginning to come into the light, saying goodbye to the good times of summer. Walking through the titian covered streets, their scales shining, Timber and Saiph hurried through the busy streets of Warfang, engaged in excited conversation.

"I can't believe we're really doing this!" Saiph told him excitedly.

"I know… it's a completely new chapter in our lives," Timber replied, his smile wide and exposing his teeth. "I couldn't have it any other way though, especially without you."

"Ever the charmer," Saiph chuckled as she nuzzled him.

Timber and Saiph took a quick shortcut, moving through a small alleyway to get to their destination. They quickened their pace as they walked through, knowing that it was still prone to danger and shady characters. The excitement was too much for them, making the decision to move through the alleyway to save time. Timber was strong anyway; he could handle what came their way. So could Saiph.

The brisk autumn air wafted down through the alleyway, adding to their speed-walking. It almost seemed colder in the alleyway, the tightness of the buildings almost trapping the air. It wasn't long before they finally made it out of the cold walking space, returning to the main street. They walked for a little while longer, before they spotted a mole in a small suit and bow tie, his wrinkled nose twitching every few seconds.

"Ah, you must be the wonderful couple! An appointment under… Samber was it?" the mole asked them with an eyebrow raised.

"That's right!" Saiph giggled, remembering how long Timber had to think to create a codename for them.

"Nice bow tie," Timber smiled.

"Thank you; bow ties are cool," the mole replied with pride, straightening a little. "Now then, shall we take a look at your new home?"

Timber coiled his tail around Saiph's, her tail tightening with excitement. She could barely contain herself, her heart was beating frantically with euphoria and anticipation as she entered through the front door.

"Oh my…"

Greeting her as she entered was a large living room, featuring a small fireplace and plenty of space to add furniture in. The walls were made of a pristine white marble, as well as the ceiling above, which was also decorated with a golden dragon that swirled hypnotically above them. A staircase led up to the second floor, made of polished mahogany that attached each step to the bannister. The kitchen had a clean tiled floor made of smooth marble, alternating between black and white squares.

Protruding from the walls were candle stands, also made of marble, where some candles were already burning with a lone, dancing flame. It didn't provide much light due to the morning sunlight shining through the windows, but at night it would drown the house in a beautiful, almost romantic orange glow.

The mole led the dragon couple up the staircase towards the bedroom, Saiph's eyes glistening with tears of joy. The bedroom was a large room with a slanted roof and a decorated wall filled with stars. An oval window stood at the far end of the room, looking out over the city and down onto the market below. Sunlight shone through the panes, lighting up the room and making it glow.

"Well? What do you think? Think we could make this ours?" Timber asked her, taking her paws in his. "If you don't like it, then we can always look elsewhere."

Saiph looked around at the house she was about to own, turning back towards Timber with a smile.

"As long as you're with me, anywhere is home," she cooed, kissing him gently and nuzzling his cheek. "I love it."

"Then it's decided!" the mole announced, taking out a form and a quill with some ink. "Sign here please."

Saiph took the quill and signed the paper, earning a small clap from the mole and a wide smile to emerge from Timber.

"Mr Timber, Miss Saiph, welcome to your new home."

With that, the mole handed Timber the key before bowing in respect and leaving the house and Timber and Saiph alone. They held each other in their paws and gazed at their new home, excitement and joy filling their hearts.

"I can't believe this is ours," Saiph gasped, holding Timber tightly.

"I know, I can barely believe it," Timber replied. "Is it everything you hoped for?"

"That, and more. Timber… I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything, just kiss me."

"I might accept that offer," Saiph smirked, rubbing his chest with her tailblade teasingly.

Timber pulled her closer, bringing their lips together and sighing as they met. Passion overcame them as they kissed, Timber's paws caressing the back of the dragoness he loved. Saiph quickly broke the kiss, blushing and a tad bit flustered.

"Easy lover boy," she chuckled, rubbing his cheek. "Don't get too excited now."

"Kind of difficult with you," Timber chuckled, still holding her and breathing a little too quickly.

"Mmhmm, now how about we get you some fresh air for that red face of yours?" Saiph suggested smugly. "We need to get some stuff for the new house anyway."

"Sure."

Timber and Saiph made their way out of their new home with their tails entwined and bright smiles on their faces, engaged in deep conversation. As they entered the market, Timber and Saiph watched dragons and moles come and go, their paws full of supplies and the sound of voices filling the area. Saiph sent a smile towards Timber, before walking towards the market with her fiance in tow. The scent of vegetables and newly formed pottery filled her nostrils, her eyes frantically looking upon the contents of the wooden carts around her. She turned her gaze to a small cart with a series of ornaments on it, some displaying beautiful artistry and delicacy. She spied one holding a small crystal, decorated with two dragons entwined around it.

"That looks beautiful," Timber said behind her.

"Should we get it?" Saiph asked him, hoping that he would say yes.

"If you want to; it's your house as well."

Saiph turned towards the mole who was standing with his back to her, tending to another artifact and polishing it.

"Ahem… Excuse me?" she said politely.

With a grumble, the mole turned around, a scar across his left eye and dust riddling his circular glasses. His apron was torn, and his expression was a cold sneer. Saiph felt sorry for the mole, seeing any creature in this state upset her to the core.

"Yes? Can I help you?" he asked in an irritated tone.

"I would like to buy this please," Saiph replied, placing the ornament down onto the cart in front of him, the crystal reflecting small beams onto the wood.

"Four gold coins," he grumbled, reaching out a scarred paw.

Saiph searched her bag, frantically looking for the coins she packed earlier. She looked towards Timber, who shrugged to suggest that he had no idea where they were.

"I've got this," a voice said, making the draconic couple snap their heads in its direction. "Good morning Saiph, Timber."

"Good morning Cyril," Saiph replied with a smile as Cyril placed four gold coins onto the counter. "You didn't need to do that, I could've got it later."

"Don't be daft, it was my honour," Cyril smiled. "However, I need you to come back to the academy with me."

"Why? Is everything okay?"

"Yes everything is fine; it is just that we are short of one teacher and we need some extra help since Spyro and Cynder are absent and Inferno is taking the day off due to working most days," Cyril explained, earning a look of slight sadness from Saiph.

"Okay, let me just finish up here and then I'll be on my way."

"Do not be long though, we need you," Cyril stated before taking off back towards the temple.

Saiph turned back towards Timber, a solemn expression plastered on her face. Timber walked up to Saiph and nuzzled her lovingly, reassuring her that she had his support.

"I'm sorry sweetie," Saiph apologised.

"You've got to do what you've got to do sometimes. We can catch up later, don't worry," Timber reassured her, kissing her on the forehead. "Now go on, you have some kids to teach."

"Oi! You done talking?! Take the damn thing and go! You're holding up other customers!" the mole shouted, getting slightly irritated that they had not moved.

Saiph placed the ornament in her bag and gave it to Timber, kissing him on the cheek before she began to leave. As Saiph rounded the corner, she waved back to her husband-to-be, before she was finally out of sight. Timber stood in the middle of the market, unsure of what to do with himself. He knew that there was much to see in the marketplace, but without Saiph, it seemed pointless to be walking around by himself.

He made his way through the market, past groups of moles and creatures and a wide variety of smells that itched his nostrils. Suddenly, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye, something that made him think directly of his wife-to-be. A small, white pendant in the shape of a cloud. He walked over towards the stool to study the pendant in detail, looking at each swirl and sparkle that was embroidered on its surface.

"How much for that small pendant there?" Timber asked the stall keeper, their back turned towards him.

"About ten or so years of care would do it," the voice chuckled, before turning around.

"Digger?!" Timber exclaimed, his eyes widening with jubilation at seeing his old friend again.

"Hello Timber, my how much you have grown!" the old mole chuckled, wiping his spectacles with a cloth and smiling broadly. "Seems only yesterday I was feeding a small hatchling."

"Yeah, I don't where I would be without all that you have done for me," the earth dragon chuckled, remembering back to when Timber and Digger had first met.

After Timber's mother was killed, he found himself alone while his father went out to continue his guardian duties. Sometimes he would sit in his room, thinking of the memories of his mother and her soft touch. When Terrador came home one evening, he found Timber crying next to the door, waiting for him to come home. After realising his son's loneliness, Terrador hired Digger to take care of Timber while he was away.

It took a while for Timber to get used to Digger's company, but after a while, he viewed him as a father figure, trusting him with his secrets, and going to him when there was an incident at school. The two became inseparable, and remained close until Timber started at the academy.

"Well, you were certainly one of the most well-behaved young dragons that I had taken care of," Digger stated, making Timber raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"You cared for dragons before me?" Timber asked him with surprise.

"Yes of course, and for a long time after you as well, until I retired and your father found me a job in the market. Making some good money for it too," Digger explained, pointing to some of the items that he had on display.

"Glad to see that you're doing alright my old friend," Timber smiled.

Digger returned the smile and picked up a large sack, some of the stitches becoming detached with age. He grabbed some of the items on his stool and began to place them inside of it, handling each one with care as to not damage them.

"How is your father?" Digger asked Timber.

"He is… concerned at this current time," Timber replied, thinking about the current situation with Spyro's sickness and Cynder's journey.

"About Spyro? Yes I did hear about that, most unfortunate."

"Father is fine though, he is still keeping a cool head and proceeding with his duties," Timber explained, catching a small ornament that fell off the side of the counter, earning a look of thanks from Digger.

"I am also relieved to hear that. A guardian must have a cool head to carry out his duties; Terrador was always very strong with keeping his emotions in check."

Timber knew this all too well. After his mother died, Timber never so much as saw a tear come from his father during that sorrowful time. He knew that he was hurting of course, but he could never get his head around how unbelievably strong his father was.

A sound of shattering pottery snapped Timber out from his thoughts, Digger cursing and mumbling to himself as he picked up a shard of the pottery, dropping it again as he cut his index finger.

"Here, let me," Timber offered, picking up the shards with careful paws.

"Thank you Timber," Digger smiled, placing more items into the sack.

"You sure you'll be able to lift that?" Timber asked with uncertainty, looking at the size and weight, knowing that Digger would never be able to lift it.

"I will be fine," Digger replied, wrapping the strap around his worn paws. "I am only taking this back to my place of residence which is just down the road there."

Digger put all his strength into lifting the sack, his little face straining as he attempted to lift it. Timber snickered slightly, stepping forward and taking the sack from Digger, placing it onto his green-scaled back.

"Thank you again."

Timber and Digger walked through the streets of Warfang, conversing on past events and catching each other up. Digger led Timber through a series of alleyways and onto a small street, a few houses lined up along the street edge. Digger removed a key from his pocket and began to walk towards a small cottage on the end of the road, a small of meat roasting from another filling Timber's nostrils.

"Well, this is where we depart for now," Digger said with a smile. "Thank you for helping me Timber."

"It's my pleasure," Timber replied, placing the sack down onto the ground. "Oh I almost forgot. Myself and Saiph are getting married soon and… I'd love you to come to the wedding. That's if you want to."

"Well Timber! I must say this is no shock that you two have decided to get married," Digger chuckled as he opened the door with a creak. "You two were always inseparable. In answer to your question, I'd love to. It would be good to catch up with everyone, especially your father."

"Great! I'm so happy we found each other again Digger. I just realised that… I never thanked you for all you did for me… for my family." Timber realised. "So, I just want to say… thank you… for all you've done for me and my father."

"It was both my honour and my pleasure," Digger replied, taking a step forward.

With that, Digger pushed the sack into his cottage and said one last goodbye to Timber before closing the oak door. Timber was beaming, knowing that he would see far more of Digger, especially on his wedding day. The earth dragon walked back towards his new house with a spring in his step, thinking of all the things he would tell Saiph when she got home.

* * *

Inferno awoke to the sound of his letterbox flapping, the metal banging against the door like a drum. It was already nearly midday, and he had slept for almost the entire morning. As he turned over, he felt the sun shine through the window and onto his eyelids, making them ache as his body began to wake. Admitting defeat to the time of day, Inferno pushed himself out of bed and onto the bedroom floor, stretching and yawning. He made his way down each step with a groggy, heavy thump until he reached the kitchen, helping himself to some berries and a refreshing glass of water.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a brown envelope hanging out of the letterbox, his name written on it. The fire dragon made his way over towards the letterbox, picking up the letter and peering at the exterior.

"I wonder who this is from," he said to himself, his ruby scales shining as the sun met them.

Tracing a claw along the seal, he opened the envelope and took the letter out, unfolding it to see what the contents were. Inside, was a small portrait of him as new born hatchling, and someone who he recognised, all too well.

His mother.

The picture showed Inferno on his hatchday, his tiny form being held in his mother's paws. It was a picture that he had not seen before, at least since he left home. He smiled at the portrait, memories of his mother teaching him and caring for him since the day he was born. Peering back into the envelope, he found a small piece of paper which was folded neatly in half. He took it out and flipped it, surveying the writing that was displayed on the paper.

"_My Dearest Inferno,_

_It feels like it has been centuries since I last saw you. I cannot shake the fact of how much you have grown since you left. It warms my heart knowing that you have grown into a strong and proud dragon, and I am immensely proud of you. The kingdom is thriving as always; plenty to buy and plenty of things to do, but enough about that for now. _

_I am more excited about the fact that you have found this special someone! Just another reason to say how much you've grown. She sounds wonderful, and I cannot wait to meet her as much as I cannot wait to see you again, my son. _

_Also, teaching hatchlings! Well, I must say, my darling, that you have a gift from the ancestors. I am glad that you are on good terms with the purple dragon and his mate as well. They are truly remarkable creatures, and I long for the day where I can meet them myself._

_It seems only yesterday that I was holding you in my arms on the day you hatched. The picture that I have sent along with this letter is that very day, and I could tell that you would be special. _

_May the ancestors look after you, and guide you through your days. I am always here, and I am always with you. Look after Frisia and keep her close. I am so proud of you, my son._

_With all my love,_

_Your mother, Vulba."_

Inferno stopped reading and felt a few tears come to his eyes. Never had he heard such love from his mother's words, but it hurt that she wasn't with him right now. Knowing that he needed some fresh air, Inferno placed the letter into a small bag, before making his way out the house. He walked through the streets and basked in the warm sunshine, taking content breaths with every few steps he took. The season was turning to Autumn, and Inferno knew that the sunshine was not going to last.

He made his way over to one of the Warfang gardens, perching himself on a bench and staring at the fountain. To his right, he noticed a group of hatchlings playing a game of pawball, shouting and laughing as they battled for control of the ball. He smiled as he watched their game, remembering the games he used to play when he was back at home. He took the letter out of the bag and read it again, staring at the portrait every now and then.

He remembered his mother's most valuable lessons, especially when it came to controlling his elements. Hunting and survival was also some of his regime that was taught by his mother; Inferno making sure to take everything that his mother said and did. She was never cruel or tough, but kind and considerate. Everything a mother should be. Inferno placed the letter and the picture back into his bag and closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on his scales and eyelids. He felt at peace, not only with himself, but with the world around him, like he was truly happy.

A sudden cacophony rose from the streets beside him, shouts plaguing the crowd, loud and frantic. Inferno turned towards the sound, noticing people in the crowd getting shoved out of the way as a few speedy forms rushed through the streets. The fire dragon stood and made his way cautiously towards the commotion, curiosity taking a hold of him.

As he got closer, he saw Terrador and Volteer rushing through the crowd, yelling to clear a path and get out of the way, with Spyro, bloodied and barely breathing, suspended on Terrador's back. A hint of terror came over Inferno as he watched Spyro's bleeding form lying motionless, his eyes widening with every second. Quickly, he made haste to follow the two guardians who rampaged through the streets, rushing through the market and towards the infirmary.

When he arrived, Inferno made his way into the building, noticing splashes of blood from where Terrador and Volteer had carried Spyro in. A sick feeling came to the fire dragon's stomach as he stepped over it, looking at another nurse who pushed a mop over the floor in an attempt to clean it.

"I saw Spyro come in here, is everything alright?" Inferno asked the receptionist, a solemn look on her face.

"I'm afraid he is in critical condition, we have the best nurses caring for him right now," the receptionist replied.

"Can I go and see him?" Inferno asked insistently.

"I'm afraid not, besides, Frisia is also in there, and I'm afraid you going in as well would cause a distraction."

"You're right," Inferno sighed. "I'll wait outside."

Inferno turned and slowly made his way back outside, his head low. From the distance he could hear screaming and shouting, the voice seeming to belong to Spyro. His heart hitched as he heard the angry, heart-wrenching sound, pausing slightly to try and make out the words, but it was just a muffled mess of sounds as the sound travelled through the walls. It hurt to hear Spyro like that, and it terrified him to know that Spyro was turning into something he was not.

Just after Spyro's screaming started, a frantic feminine shout sounded, sounding like Sapphire's voice. Multiple other voices joined, and it sounded like a fight to restrain Spyro, as the purple dragon's screams seemed to be the only one of protest.

_What the hell is going on?_ Inferno thought, his breath going heavy as he feared for not only Spyro, a close friend of his and a huge inspiration, as well as Frisia, who was in the room with the purple dragon.

Inferno pressed forward, making his way outside and sitting down, waiting for Frisia to leave the building. He knew that Spyro's condition was indeed getting worse, but he felt powerless from the fact that he could do nothing to help. All Spyro had given him was kindness and a helping hand wherever he needed it. It was torture to him that he couldn't return the favour in a time where he needed it the most.

After hours of waiting, the door to the Infirmary opened, revealing Frisia with blood staining her paws and a bruise on her left cheek and chest. Inferno darted from the bench to meet her, her eyes flooding with tears.

"Frisia… Oh my ancestors what happened to you?!" Inferno asked with haste, giving her a soft hug.

"Spyro woke up… we managed to calm him but… I've never seen him so scared," Frisia mumbled, her tears trickling down her face.

Inferno licked her tears and gave her a supportive kiss on the cheek, staring deep into her eyes.

"Come on, I'll take you back to my place and get you cleaned up," Inferno said with a calm voice, coiling his tail around her's and nuzzling her.

As they made their way through the streets of Warfang, residents gave Frisia a concerned stare, some asking whether the purple dragon was safe or out to kill them. Inferno began to get irritated with their constant questions, having to snap at some of them to get them to leave them be. After a few minutes of walking, the pair arrived at Inferno's house, opening the door with haste and stepping inside.

"Make your way upstairs and into the bathroom, I'll be there in a minute," Inferno instructed, giving Frisia a slight kiss on the lips.

"Okay, just… don't go anywhere okay?" Frisia asked him.

"I won't, now go on."

Frisia made her way upstairs while Inferno set himself to work on making her dinner. The events of the last few hours must have been traumatic for her, the best he could was show his support, just like his mother told him. Hearing the bathwater start running, Inferno thought of the state that Spyro was in, the image of him hanging almost lifeless on Terrador's back. It upset him to the core, but it also concerned him greatly.

He quickly prepared a berry platter, feeling like Frisia would want something light and sweet after seeing so much blood and having the scare of her life while trying to deal with Spyro. She was deeply disturbed, and it pained Inferno to see her so upset. Inferno made his way up to the bathroom with the platter, knocking on the door cautiously to let Frisia know he was entering. It was somewhat strange to walk in on someone in the bath like this; it wasn't something he'd ever done before. But Frisia needed to wash the blood off her, and to just sit in some warm water to help her calm down. On top of that, she needed the comfort of her boyfriend.

A small 'come in' sounded from the other side of the door, and Inferno walked in, placing the berry platter beside the bathtub. The water was rather bubbly from the amount of soap that Frisia had appeared to use, and it bore a slightly red tinge from the amount of blood that had caked her paws. The dragoness sat in the tub, the shocked expression from before still painting her face, streaks of dried tears still showing on her face.

"I got you some berries. I figured you might want something light to eat," Inferno said, trying his best to be gentle.

"Th-th-thanks," Frisia replied, before reaching over with a clean, cyan paw, grabbing a few berries and putting them in her mouth.

"So, uh… what happened?"

"It was… it was _awful_. Spyro was… _covered_ in blood. His arms had lacerations that went down to the bone, his leg was broken, he was covered in cuts along the chest… I just… I know I'm a healer but I'd never seen that much blood before. I didn't know what to do. I've never seen the guardians so scared… I've never seen _Sapphire_ so scared.

"I thought we had gotten him stable until… until Spyro woke up, immediately experiencing hallucinations, according to Volteer. Then he just went… _livid_. Screaming, yelling, cursing… I've never seen him so… so… so _violent_. So _angry_. He _hit _me in his blind rage..."

Inferno took it upon himself to comfort her, supporting her head and giving her a light kiss on her forehead. He couldn't get over the look of shock and horror that was plastered on her face, her eyes darting from left and right.

"You're with me now, everything is going to be okay," Inferno said softly.

He continued to stare at Frisia's expression, feeling a twinge of sorrow for her girlfriend's current state. He wished he could make it right, stop all the pain that Spyro was going through. But he knew now, that it was up to the ancestors to see if Spyro would make it through.

"I heard Spyro shouting," Inferno stated. "You must've been terrified."

Frisia shifted herself in the bath, making the water splash a little before turning her attention back towards Inferno.

"Terrified isn't a word I can describe it Inferno," Frisia mumbled. "I can't describe it… at all in fact."

Frisia felt a sudden change in her heart. She knew that she couldn't spend the night alone, especially after the events of that day. Frisia had never experienced something as terrifying as that first-hand, and she knew she was going to struggle sleeping, especially alone. She peered up towards Inferno again with hopeful eyes, hoping to be able to spend the night and feel safe while she was asleep.

"Can… Can I… stay with you… tonight?" Frisia asked, looking up at her boyfriend's concerned face.

Inferno blushed slightly, knowing that this would be the first time that anyone had ever stayed in his house, nevermind a girlfriend.

"O-O-Of course."

After Frisia cleaned herself up and dried off, Inferno pulled a blanket from the cupboard and placed it onto the sofa. He led Frisia downstairs and grabbed some snacks from the kitchen, putting it on the table in front of where Frisia was sitting. After getting themselves comfortable, Inferno and Frisia sat in each other's embrace, relishing in the warmth that they gave to one another.

"Thank you for taking me back here," Frisia mumbled softly, her eyelids drooping from tiredness.

"It's my pleasure," Inferno smiled, placing a kiss on Frisia's cheek.

"I love you," Frisia whispered, nuzzling his neck.

"I love you too."

The two dragons fell into the peaceful sensation of sleep, curled in each other's embraces. Even though Spyro's struggle continued, Inferno knew that he had to keep Frisia safe, and if it came down to it, put his life in firing lines to protect the one he loved.

* * *

**Chapter 19 finally done! I am so sorry that this took ages to come out. Corona, Work and everything has just been busy, busy, busy for me. I also suffered from writer's block and had to take a break, but I finally managed to get this chapter out so thank you all for your patience. I will try and get the next chapter out very soon, so stay tuned for that.**

**I hope you all have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic, Cheetah and SKda… Signing off ^_^**


	22. CH20: Mutiny and Mischief

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone! Welcome back to another chapter! I'm so glad that you all enjoyed the last one, but alas, we must return to Cynder's journey to save Spyro. But can she convince Kane to let her go? Well, why don't we find out? Thanks to the last chapter's reviewers!:**

**\- TARDIS  
\- Dragon of Mystery  
\- IllusionMaster**

**Again, thank you so much for all of the views and support that you guys have shown me. It's amazing to know that this story is getting such a great reception. I hope you guys all enjoy today's chapter.**

**And without further ado….**

**Let the story continue!**

* * *

**Chapter 20: Mutiny and Mischief**

As overcast clouds loomed over Tall Plains, rain threatening to plunder down on the hills, Cynder sat with her paws suspended above her, the chains digging into her scales and causing massive discomfort. Sparx was next to her, his golden glow the only light in the room as it climbed the walls, flickering as he flapped his wings. They were both looked over upon by the cold sneer of the atlawan leader Kane, who was standing by the entrance of the cell. Sparx seemed to notice that he had grown, not only in height, but in stature. He was more stocky rather than lean, and his eyes were serious and experienced. Cynder on the other hand, was not impressed. She began to get slightly irritated with the atlawan leader in front of her, a soft hum of a snarl rumbling in the back of her throat.

"As for you, demon," he growled, glaring at her. "Are you ready to repent your sins?"

"I know what I have done Kane," Cynder growled. "And I'm not proud of it. You have to believe me, I've changed!"

"It's true Kane," Sparx intercepted, making Kane snap his gaze towards him. "Although she looks… rather terrifying and has the temper to back that up, she's changed. She's with my brother for toadstool's sake, at least give her a chance."

Kane turned and looked out of the cell, his eyes glazing with hurtful memories of murder, torture and loss. He turned on his heels and peered at them with hateful eyes, snarling at Cynder.

"Did she give my people a chance when they begged her for their lives?" he asked them coldly. "No, she did not. She murdered them in cold blood, destroying villages and ripping families apart. She killed our children, our wives. She destroyed everything. And I for one will not be responsible for that happening again!"

Cynder felt his cold breath against her face, almost gagging as it flew up her nostrils. Kane leaned back and smirked slightly, before facing the cell door again.

"You're going to be burned at the stake…" he mumbled, causing both Sparx and Cynder's eyes to widen. "We're going to rid the world of your filth, and then finally… we can be properly at peace."

Cynder rattled her chains, wanting to break free and strangle the llama in front of her. The shackles were so tight, she couldn't feel her arms, and her mana had been completely drained.

"Don't you think if I wanted to kill you, I would've done it already?!" Cynder thundered, the scale of her voice bouncing off the walls. "If I was evil, or even a part of what I was back then, you would all be dead right now and the entire world would've ended years ago! Are you really that blinded by hate and your own self-importance that you cannot see this?!"

Kane stood in silence for a few moments, acting as if he had ignored everything that she had said. Cynder merely growled in annoyance and proceeded to rattle her chains.

"My husband, your saviour and friend, is dying. He needs my help and I cannot do that if I am stuck in here about to be executed for something in the past. I know what I have done Kane, ancestors knows I do, but now is not the time for this. There are bigger things at play, and you cannot remain blind to them. Spyro has become sick with a parasite; it's killing his memories, invading his mind and unless we do something to stop it, it will take control of him, and lay waste to the realms. Everything that you have built here, everything that you have retained will be gone unless you let me go."

"A likely story… those parasites were lost in the Ancestral Purge. You of all creatures should know that," Kane mumbled, his eyes remaining fixed on the horizon.

"Not this one," Cynder replied, her voice deep. "This one survived and is wanting Spyro."

Sparx suddenly raised his hand, clearing his throat with a puzzled look on his face.

"Sorry, for those who don't know dragon history and would rather lick a frogweed's rear section than listen to Cyril talk about it, what the hell is the Ancestral Purge?!" Sparx asked with a raised voice, causing Cynder to roll her eyes.

"If you must know gnat," the atlawa grunted. "The Ancestral Purge is a tale amongst dragons; I only know it because I overheard someone talk about it in Warfang when I visited once."

"Yeah, yeah, great, but what is it?" Sparx asked again.

"Long ago, there was a circle of power with some of the most powerful dragons in the realms, but one day, they disappeared. The only survivor was a light dragon and he became so enraged and driven with grief over the disappearance of his friends, that he went on a killing spree, murdering any dragon that he thought had parasitical potential, or a darkened heart. Hundreds of dragons lost their lives, and after he had realised what he had done, the Light Dragon took his own life. Nobody knows why, or who he was _really _searching for."

"Mortem," Cynder whispered under her breath, a cold shiver running down her spine.

"I swear… every story we've heard has just been doom and gloom," Sparx facepalmed.

Kane huffed and walked back up to Cynder, looming over her again with a look of hate and despise.

"Enough of this nonsense… you will be executed tomorrow at dawn. Even if you are telling me the truth, I cannot bring myself to trust you," Kane sneered, beginning to make his way out of the cell. "You've caused my people enough pain, and I must spare the world even more. I will not lie, I trust Spyro with my life; he did save it after all and I am forever in his debt. As for you, I hope no one remembers you."

Two guards came to the entrance, escorting their leader out of the cell before sharing looks of disgust towards Cynder. As they left, a guard spat in the direction of Cynder's face, almost hitting its target as she dodged out of the way. The door to the cell slammed shut, leaving Cynder and Sparx alone, tears trickling down the former's cheeks.

"Why… why does my past always come back to me… and ruin everything…?" she choked, tear drops falling onto the cold stone floor.

Sparx flew over to her and wiped a few of the tears off, smiling as he did this.

"Come on, where's your fighting spirit? We've got through worse than this! Think, what would Spyro do?" Sparx asked her, trying to lift her spirits.

Cynder merely looked away from him and closed her eyes, not wanting to think about the pain that Spyro was in.

"Not give up, that's for sure," Cynder replied after a deep breath. "I don't think he's giving up right now, and he certainly didn't give up when we were fighting Malefor."

"That's it, Cynder! Now, let's figure out how to get out of here," Sparx said enthusiastically.

The dragoness looked around the cell, trying to study it as best as she could. Her eyes eventually moved to the chains restraining her arms, and she realised she needed to get out of them first. Cynder tried to break out of them with force, but it didn't work, realising that they were tight and well bound. She tried biting through the chains, but only managing to receive a bad taste of metal in her mouth.

She thought about using her poison element to try and melt through the metal, but remembered that she had no mana, so that was useless. A frustrated growl tore from her throat as she sat back on the ground with a heavy thud. Cynder looked back up at the chains suspending her arms above her, growling again and cursing the position she was in.

It wasn't long before she was interrupted from her frustration as screams and shouts rose from outside the cell. There was a very tiny window that allowed sunlight to get in, which Cynder moved towards as best as she could through her bindings, looking out. Floating boats were seen on the horizon, bulky shapes leaping out from the sides and attacking the atlawa.

They were pirates. Skavengers.

Cynder remembered how cruel and ruthless they were from her time on Fellmuth, and saw with horror as they made quick work of the atlawa. Sure they were skilled with their spears, but there was only so much their spears could do against so many swords. It had been different with her; she had been caught off guard, and Sparx couldn't do much to help. On top of that, she hadn't wanted to hurt the atlawa, and was not willing to fight and only to negotiate. She could've made quick work of the atlawa like the pirates were now, just like in her nightmares.

Cynder's emerald eyes stared out in shock as they saw the Atlawa getting slaughtered. Bodies fell to the ground along with severed heads, blood staining the grass as their respective heads fell with a heavy thud on the ground beside the bodies. The Skavengers were getting closer and closer to her, their swords glistening with blood and beckoning death.

Cynder's mind suddenly rushed with questions. Why were they running towards the dungeons? Was it to take more people into their ship? To 'rescue' them only to commit them to torture and slavery?

Shouts from the guards burst through the halls, elevated and flooded with concern. It was honestly kind of scary hearing the slaughter without seeing it. Cynder felt Sparx lie flat on top of her head, holding onto her horns tightly, shivering with fear. The black dragoness, however, kept a firm and strong stance, prepared for whatever might happen.

Two atlawa guards ran in front of Cynder's cell, spears pointed down the hall. A long, loud howl sounded, before two wolf pirates rushed in, cutlasses drawn and swinging about wildly, both aiming for the necks of the two llamas. They exchanged blows for a couple seconds, blocking each other, before one of the pirates slashed his cutlass across the wooden handle of the spear, breaking it in two, the spear tip falling to the ground. With two quick swings, the cutlass came across the defenseless atlawa's wrist, cutting off a paw, before arching around to slice through the guard's neck.

The atlawa guard slumped to the ground, falling against the bars of Cynder's cell. The bars didn't stop the blood however, as it went spraying into her cell, continuing to spill into it as more blood streamed from the dismembered neck.

With a nasty growl, the wolf turned towards the other atlawa, slicing him across the back with his cutlass. The atlawa staggered backwards, crying out in pain. The pirate he was fighting laughed and kicked him in the gut, causing him to drop his spear, falling to his knees in front of him. Looking back with a pained groan, the atlawa noticed the first pirate raising his cutlass in the air to stab him in the back again. Reaching forward, the guard grabbed the legs of the pirate in front of him, before pushing them out from underneath him. The pirate fell over on top of him, and the cutlass was already coming down with too much momentum to stop it.

Instead of colliding with the atlawa's back, the blade of the cutlass went straight into the head of the second pirate, forcing a scream out of the canine. The atlawa guard threw the pirate off him, before grabbing the cutlass the pirate had dropped. The first pirate withdrew his bloodied cutlass, swinging it around to stab the atlawa in the chest.

The atlawa intercepted, the cutlasses clashing with a harsh _clang_. The wolf swung again, but the attack was blocked also. Third time did the trick however, as the wolf feinted with an attack to the chest, before quickly re-aiming towards the head, cutting straight through the atlawa's throat, silencing him.

Pulling the cutlass out of the llama's neck, the pirate turned towards his comrade, blood streaming from the back of his head. It streamed from his chest now as another atlawa, which turned out to be Kane, withdrew his spear from the dead pirate's heart. The pirate let out a howl of anger, rushing towards the killer of his comrade.

Kane was quick to duck under the cutlass as it swung over his head, dropping down with a sweep of his leg, knocking the pirate's legs from underneath him. As the pirate fell to the ground, Kane was quick to move upright and end the wolf's life, stabbing the spear into the canine's chest.

Cynder blinked, watching all of this breeze by in barely a minute. She looked at the corpses outside her cell, the two atlawan guards with their heads separated from their bodies. The screams from outside grew.

This was slaughter.

"Kane! Kane, I can help!" Cynder exclaimed, running up as close as she could to the bars, the chains pulling tightly against her wrists.

Kane turned towards her cell, his fur stained with drops of blood.

"We do not need your help, demon!" he shouted, banging against the bars of the cell in anger, his chest heaving with heavy breaths.

"Your tribe is being slaughtered! Let me help!"

Kane snorted, spitting at her before proceeding to walk away. He was brought to a halt as another cry came from Cynder, sharper than the others.

"Do you really want to be responsible for the death of your entire tribe?!" Cynder asked him, rattling her chains and pushing herself forward. "I don't care if you trust me or not, just let me help you."

"NO!" Kane shouted, slamming on the bars again, rage contorting his face. "I'm not stupid enough to let you out there and wreak havoc! So what if you help fight off the pirates? You'll just kill us afterwards!"

"Are you serious? You really think I would do that?"

"You've done it before!"

"I'm not who I once was, Kane!" Cynder snapped, her voice low and raspy as she finally began to lose her composure, frustration taking hold of her. "I don't _like_ who I once was! The thought of so many innocents dying sickens me! To know that your tribe is being slaughtered like this disgusts me, and I will not sit around doing nothing when I know I can help."

The llama stared at Cynder blankly, his eyes glaring with a mix of uncertainty and distrust. He remained silent for a long time, the sound of his breathing the only thing interrupting the ambient background noise of screaming and violence.

"Kane. Let me help," Cynder repeated, her voice shaking.

Kane was in conflict with his mind, still unable to make a decision. Finally, after hearing more screams of his tribe outside, Kane unlocked the door with a growl and made his way inside, removing the chains from Cynder's wrists.

"This does not mean I trust you, or that I forgive you for everything that you have done. I am only doing this because my people are dying," Kane explained to her, his voice low and carrying a dormant threat.

"I understand. Sparx? Come on, we've got a tribe to save," she called out to him, already making her way out of the cell.

"Right behind you!" he nodded, flying fast until he was by her side.

Cynder rushed through the corridors, making her way past the other cells before bursting out into the sunlight, sounds of clashing swords and metal hitting flesh reaching her ears. She turned a corner to see the horror of the battlefield; bodies and blood were everywhere, several patches of grass thickly coated, almost submerged, in the sickly gore. Severed heads were before her, blood still leaking from their detached limbs. She could sense Sparx trying not to retch, covering his mouth with a tiny hand.

"Come on, we have to help them or there will be more like this," Cynder mumbled, walking forward and stepping over all of the bodies.

Sparx could not bring himself to look upon the dead, nor the blood that was on the ground. He feared that if he did, his stomach would give way. The dragonfly remained looking forward, flying by Cynder's side.

She picked up the pace, running towards a group of three canines engaged in battle with two atlawa. A loud roar left her throat, causing all of them to freeze in shock, the atlawa stepping back at the sight of the massive dragoness thundering towards them. The wolves quickly noticed Cynder's gaze was locked onto them, and began to back away too, before the sickly tailblade was swung around. Two of the wolves stepped back in time, but third wasn't quick enough, his torso getting sliced off his waist.

The two parts of the wolf landed with a thud on the ground, and he tried to scramble away with just his arms, but Cynder was quick to skewer his head on her tailblade. The other two wolves were immediately in action, rushing towards Cynder with their cutlasses drawn. She sidestepped one, but soon realised she wasn't going to get out of the second one's way quick enough. Thanks to quick thinking, she caught the outdrawn cutlass in her teeth and thrashed the wolf around violently, throwing him to the ground with a sickening crack as his back was broken.

Cynder sensed the last wolf behind her, slashing her tailblade against its neck as it rushed towards her, finally silencing it. She stepped towards the Atlawan soldiers, who all had surprised looks on their faces.

"T-Thank you…" stuttered one.

"No problem, now get yourselves to safety, we'll deal with the rest of them," Cynder instructed, earning a scoff from one of the soldiers.

"We are not taking orders from you!" he snapped, growling at her.

Cynder merely stared at him blankly, before adopting a look of annoyance. She stepped forward and roared in the soldier's face, to which he screamed and clutched his spear in fear.

"Alright! Alright! W-Whatever you say!" he said breathlessly, running off into a nearby shelter.

Sparx looked over to her with an impressed expression, crossing his arms.

"Not bad, sis," he smirked, earning a look of surprise from Cynder.

"W-Wait… sis? Nevermind, come on, we've gotta save the rest of them," Cynder stated, shaking her head before rushing off towards the airships, dodging and weaving, slicing and dicing her way through.

As she ran through the battlefield, she could see the tide was beginning to turn. The Atlawans were taking less casualties, and beginning to push the pirates back. Cynder knew, however, that if she wanted to drive these Skavengers out, she would need to attack the ships.

"Come on, we've gotta get up there."

Cynder flapped her wings and took to the sky, avoiding cannon fire and small arms fire before landing on one of the airships. She stared at the wolves that were slowly approaching her, cutlasses drawn and their mouths dripping with saliva.

The black dragoness was about to make her move, but was interrupted by a loud _bang_ and searing pain in her arm. She hissed in pain, staggering backwards and looking in the direction of the sound, noticing a Skavenger holding a small handgun at her, smoke rising from the barrel.

Realising he was reloading, Cynder made sure she was quick enough to get to him and disarm him by the time he was loaded and ready to shoot again. She suddenly rushed towards him as best as she could, hobbling on her wounded arm and snarling. She knocked the wolf to the ground, making him lose grip on his gun. With three thunderous blows, Cynder smashed the wolf's face in, causing blood to stream from his nose and mouth. She picked him up in her jaws and threw him off the ship, the sounds of his scream fading as he fell to his death.

Cynder sensed the other wolves rushing up behind her, whirling around with a long sweep of her tailblade, cutting through three wolves, killing one and terribly wounding the other two. Cynder clawed and sliced her way through the pirates, caught off guard by two that leapt onto her back from behind. Immediately she jumped and thrashed about, trying to throw the two pirates off her.

One was thrown off quickly, hurling over the ship's railings and plummeting down to the ground. The other wolf dug his cutlass into Cynder's hide, causing a cry of pain to tear from her jaws.

The Skavenger howled with laughter at Cynder's pain, before a tiny golden light buzzed in front of his face. He didn't get a second to register it as a dragonfly before two tiny fingers rushed forward, poking him in the eye. The wolf howled again, this time in pain, as he reached up to hold his eye, losing grip on his weapon and falling off Cynder. There was a thud as he landed on the deck.

Cynder staggered backwards as the other wolves closed in on her, causing her to step back. She stomped down on the Skavenger that had fallen off her, the weight in her heavy, frantic steps crushing the back of the wolf, forcing a high-pitched whine from his throat.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way," she warned them, snarling through gritted teeth.

The wolves merely snarled back, baring their teeth which were yellow and almost mouldy. Cynder readied herself, ignoring the pain of the bullet and dagger wound that she had received. Her eyes were fixed on the weapons they were holding, but also on their stance. Sparx on the other hand, was eyeing a barrel, noticing a small green glow that emitted from it.

"Cynder, look," he murmured, pointing over to the barrel.

She followed the dragonfly's gaze to the barrel, her eyes widening when she realised what the green glow was. Sparx made his way over to the barrel, picking up a cluster of small gems and lifting them back over to Cynder, dropping them at her paws. She smiled at Sparx before smashing them with her paw, feeling energy return to her muscles and ready to take on anything.

The black dragoness readied herself, proceeding to shoot an orb of poison forward, spilling over the pirates who were unfortunate enough to stand too close. They wailed in pain as the poison burned their bodies, exposing raw flesh and burning their forms. The others backed away in fear, soon falling prey to a siren scream. Cynder vanished into shadow, making her way behind them and emerging, readying her claws. Before they could even turn, Cynder sliced their necks, blood staining the floor and her claws.

Before long, each of the pirates on the ship were dead, blood spilling from their broken bodies and staining the deck. Cynder took some deep breaths to calm herself down, adrenaline pulsing through her body and sweat dripping down her face.

"Well, that was over quick," Sparx muttered. "Useless weaklings."

"It's just the crew of _one ship_, Sparx," Cynder shot back, her tone dark. "Plus, most of them are down there."

She gestured to the ground where the atlawa were desperately trying to fight off the Skavenger pirates attacking them, most of them falling with the sound of steel meeting flesh. Sparx just let out a sad sigh, knowing that Cynder was right. This wasn't over yet, not by a long shot.

"Anyway, if there's a fleet as big as this, surely Fellmuth is here," Cynder murmured.

"Fellmuth?"

"Yeah, the biggest ship in the fleet. Remember, the one you and Spyro ended up in when the Skavengers captured you two under Skabb's watch?"

"Ohhhh yeah. That one. Y'know, I hated that Skabb dude. Luckily he's dead though."

"Yeah but that means someone else is in charge. There's someone else who's now leading this fleet, so we need to go up there and get rid of him. Or her."

"Alright," Sparx replied. "You can go fight the meanies, and I can…"

"...sit back and do nothing?" Cynder finished for Sparx, earning an annoyed huff from him. "Sure thing, you do that. At least you won't be in the way."

"I _can_ be useful, you know!" Sparx shouted. "I got that ape off your shoulder, _and_ found the green gems!"

Cynder didn't reply, only spreading her wings out and taking off to the skies, flying towards the largest ship of the fleet, suspended above and behind every other ship. Sparx groaned in frustration, rolling his eyes, before flying after her. Cynder made for Fellmuth, dodging gunfire and sending shadow flame upon the pirates, before landing gracefully on the deck. Sparx caught up behind her, fists out in front of him as if ready to throw some punches.

As she landed, Cynder peered up to see a large, bulky wolf that was covered in chains, wearing a broken chestplate and clutching two scythe-like blades. There was a long scar across his left eye, and his snout was mangled and riddled with scars also. Blood stained his form as he clutched an atlawan head, tossing it to the side before staring directly at Cynder, his long and yellowed teeth making an appearance as he snarled.

"Well if it isn't the Terror of the Skies!" he chuckled. "Used to be so high and mighty, the once murderous dragoness, now a saviour of the realms. How the mighty have indeed fallen..."

Cynder just stared at him with a hateful expression, not even blinking.

"Oh my… where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself," he stated, soon throwing a knife in Cynder's direction, which she dodged easily. "I am Yorric, the most feared Skavenger in all the realms!"

Cynder merely scoffed and chuckled to herself. Yorric looked at her, starting to quake with anger.

"Why are you laughing…? Did you not hear me?!" Yorric thundered, pointing one of his swords at her.

"Oh I heard you alright," she laughed. "And frankly, I'm not impressed. Get that nickname from your mummy did you?"

Yorric merely lunged at her, roaring as he readied his blades. Cynder backtracked, ducking as he swung, aiming for her head. She swung her tail round, swiping his legs out from underneath him, before landing a solid right hook, causing him to fly into the mast. He picked himself up, wiping a spot of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"You murdered my son..." he grunted, pulling himself back to his feet. "Among the many other things we Skavengers did over the past twenty years, I tracked you down. I tracked you down with a passion, so that you will pay with your blood… I will avenge him…"

"Just - squark - kill her already - squark," a voice sounded behind the large canine.

Flying onto his shoulder was a small parrot, a large scar stretching across its eye, covered by an eyepatch. Its purple feathers were also rustled and some were missing, but not enough to stop it from flying. He peered at Cynder with a hated expression, matching that of Yorric.

"Sniff?!" Sparx squeaked, shocked to see the parrot alive.

"Oh hello, mosquito - squark," he hissed, a sneer reaching his face. "Long time no see."

Sparx merely looked at him as if he was a pile of dirt, confused as to how the parrot managed to survive this long. Cynder remained unfazed however, still retaining her battle ready position, and firing death glares in the direction of Yorric.

"What are you doing here Sniff, after your pitiful friend decided to leave you alone to my wrath? What do you want?" Sparx asked him with his arms crossed, a stern expression lacing his face.

Sniff's expression soured too at the mention of Scratch, the brown parrot who had fled after Spyro killed Skabb and had never been seen again.

"Isn't that obvious? To pillage! To steal and conquer - squark!" he yelled in triumph, almost toppling off of Yorric's shoulder as he announced his intentions.

"Also to be a gigantic pain in the arse," Cynder interjected. "Now get out of here before I rip you apart."

Yorric and Sniff merely cackled together.

"You're the one who's going to be ripped apart!" Yorric screamed, charging toward Cynder as Sniff went for Sparx.

Sniff was quick to latch onto the dragonfly, grabbing a firm hold on him and biting into his shoulder. Sparx cried out in pain at the sharp beak penetrating his flesh, batting at the parrot forcefully. After three hits to the back of the head, Sniff finally let go as he shrieked in pain. The dragonfly was quick to act as he rushed forward with another punch, attempting to knock out Sniff the same way he had done back when Skabb was in power.

The purple parrot noticed this however, and flew out of the way, smirking at Sparx.

"You can't pull that same trick on me, you grub!" Sniff chuckled. "I've learned from last time."

"Yeah, I just realised. Guess your head must be alright then after all," Sparx taunted, pulling a funny face and sticking his middle finger up at the parrot.

Sniff growled in anger as he flew forward again, beak open to bite off the dragonfly's finger. Sparx yelped as he withdrew the finger quick enough to avoid the snapping beak in front of him. The parrot went in for another attack, aiming at Sparx's neck this time to properly kill him off. The dragonfly thought quickly, counteracting with a quick punch to the face and a slap for good measure.

It didn't have as much effect as Sparx had hoped for, as Sniff had likely been expecting it. He gave a low snarl before opening his wings and flapping them quickly, slapping them against Sparx like whips. The feathers hurt as they slapped forcefully against him, the open wound on his shoulder making it worse as the feathers irritated the bite.

Sparx hit Sniff again, this time knocking Sniff into semi-consciousness as the parrot swayed in mid-air, clearly dizzy. The head trauma was starting to get to him, rattling his brain and making him lose all sense of direction. He looked over Sniff's shoulder and noticed Cynder fighting Yorric, the battle more headed than his, due to the larger bodies, claws and weapons that both participants wielded.

Yorric had a decent claw wound running along his chest and arm, and Cynder had a bruised eye. Bloody cuts also painted her form, the two scythes that Yorric held stained red with the dragoness' life liquid. The canine was relentless with his attacks, swinging the scythes around quickly as Cynder struggled to dodge them all. One of them nicked her collarbone, adding another bloody streak to her body.

There was no pattern to Yorric's attacks as he cut at her wildly, each cut and twinge of pain affecting her movements. Cynder was trying to analyse how he moved but there was no way she could predict anything with how random he was. It was hard to get an attack through his barrage of slashing scythes. Her only chance was to use his stamina against him.

After a while it seemed to be working. Yorric slowly began to get slower and slower, and Cynder was able to get some attacks in. As the scythes came around, much slower than before, she caught the last one to come around in her jaws, before pulling it out of Yorric's grasp and throwing it overboard. Yorric snarled and rushed at her with the other scythe, but she spat a glob of venom at his hand.

Yorric screamed as he dropped the scythe with a clatter, watching his hand begin to deteriorate in front of him. He reached down to grab the scythe with his other hand, before chopping off the poisoned one immediately, in an attempt to stop the poison getting to the rest of his body. Cynder then rushed forward, realising her window of opportunity, slicing Yorric's other hand off with her tailblade and sending him tumbling into the mast again. She raced towards him, roaring in anger and sinking her tailblade deep into his head, ending his struggle and breathing. She retreated her tailblade and looked at his lifeless body, spitting out blood from her mouth and snarling.

"Good riddance," she hissed, turning her attention to Sparx and Sniff, whose fight was almost over.

Sparx continued to pummel Sniff, landing a mighty blow on the parrot's cheek and sending him flying backwards. The dragonfly saw a small splinter of wood sticking out from the mast after Yorric's impact with it, grabbing it. He quickly returned to the air and readied himself to strike Sniff down. The parrot let out a terrible shriek as he flew forward, face contorted with anger.

Sniff felt his head spin, not registering the splinter being pointed at him. Sparx yelled, flying forward with the splinter outstretched in front of him. Before he could breathe, Sparx shoved the sharp splinter into Sniff's chest as he flew into it at great velocity, a hideous sound of tearing flesh reaching their ears. Sniff emitted a wet choking sound as he looked down at the splinter inside of him, beads of blood dripping down his chest. He soon came to realise that his heart was now pierced, sealing his fate to only a few more seconds.

"Damn you, m-m-mosquito," Sniff croaked.

"Should've followed that bastard Scratch when you had the chance," Sparx whispered, before pushing his weapon even further into the parrot's chest.

Sniff just croaked, before he went still, slumping over onto the splinter. There was silence as Sparx hovered there, holding the weapon with the impaled parrot. His face seemed to soften as he realised what had just happened, and he dropped the splinter. It landed on the ground with a heavy thud, weighted down by the parrot's corpse on the end of it.

"Are you alright, Sparx?" Cynder asked.

"I… I-I-I…" Sparx stammered.

"Sparx?"

"I killed someone. I just… _killed_ someone."

Cynder's heart froze at the words. Sparx was an innocent person; he'd never had to think about such thoughts before. Sure, he had killed for self-defence, and Sniff wasn't exactly the best of people, but it still didn't excuse the fact that Sparx had now just killed someone for the first time. The dragonfly stared at his victim, breathing heavily.

"I've… never killed anyone before. I know the circumstances asked me to do it for my survival but… I still just… killed someone. I don't know what to do with that information. What do I tell Livvy…? What… What do I…? What does this make me?"

"Sparx!"

"Watching Spyro kill ape after ape never seemed to faze me… I knew they were bad and killing people anyway so they deserved to die. But… when _I'm_ the one doing the killing? It feels… wrong… I don't know what to do with that information. This feeling… I don't like it."

"Sparx stop rambling to yourself."

"I… I just…"

"SPARX!"

Only now did Sparx seem to realise Cynder was there as well. The dragonfly snapped his gaze up to her, staring at her with a blank expression. She was smeared with red, blood of her own and blood of Yorric. Yorric's blood stained her tailbalde, which Sparx took several quick glances at.

"How?" Sparx murmured after some time.

"How what?"

"How did you do it?"

"Do what, Sparx?"

"Kill."

Cynder's breath caught in her throat. She didn't like the way this was going. The tone in Sparx's voice was dark and fearful. Angry, even.

"Sparx, just calm down, and we can talk this through _calmly_," she murmured slowly, her voice wobbling.

"You killed… _millions_ of people. How could you take so many lives like this? How could you tear something so precious from so many people?! How could you hurt families by taking their loved ones away from them?!" Sparx cried. "HOW COULD YOU?!"

"Do you think I _wanted_ to kill those people?" Cynder snapped, trying to contain her anger, but her low snarl was almost scarier than an outright scream. "Do you think I _wanted_ what my childhood ended up giving me? Do you?"

Sparx seemed terrified. He shrunk in on himself, almost trying to get away from Cynder. His gaze lowered, almost guilty, as if even more of Cynder's story was starting to get pieced together in his head, the realisation of Cynder's dark childhood becoming more and more morbid.

"I was _forced _to do that, day in and day out, every day, for _twelve years_. I was a child, being tortured and pushed to do _that_," Cynder explained darkly, her voice quivering as she tried to hold back the torrent of tears pushing against the dam. "I never wanted to know what killing felt like, but I do. I have been best friends with death, with murder, ever since I was a kid. Killing is almost second-nature to me and I hate it. Killing Yorric was _easy_, and I _hate_… it… so much."

Cynder couldn't hold her emotions anymore, letting them loose like a tidal wave and releasing it out onto Sparx.

"I HATE IT. In every part of me, killing feels _normal_. And it _shouldn't_. My mind has been turned against me, into something I never wanted it to become, Sparx. AND. I. HATE. IT. SO MUCH!"

A golden blur rushed towards her, and for a moment Cynder thought Sparx was going to attack her, but her thoughts turned to surprise. She felt his tiny arms on her snout, hugging it as he wept. It was soft and warm. Firm, but loving.

"I'm s-s-s-sorry," Sparx whimpered, his sob long and drawn out. "I know I'll never be able to understand what you w-w-went through, but I think I understand it b-b-b-better now. To have to do that against your will? I… That'd kill _me_ inside. I-I-I'm so sorry for giving you… for giving you…"

Sparx couldn't finish his sentence as he broke down in a heavy round of sobs, letting out his grief. Cynder cried too, watching as Sparx went through the emotions of killing for the first time. Emotions that she should've had, but she didn't. Instead, she had enjoyed it, and it hurt even more knowing that she had once gotten so much enjoyment from something so terribly wrong and foul.

"I'm sorry for giving you so much shit about it," Sparx sobbed, finally finishing his sentence. "I didn't understand, and what I said back then was _horrible_, and I cast you out because of it."

"It's okay. It's okay," Cynder whispered slowly, her sobs finally calming down as a small smile pulled at her lips. "What's done is done. But know that I'm here for you, Sparx. If you want to talk, I'm here. I know what it's like."

Sparx sniffed. "Thank you," he murmured, lifting himself off Cynder's snout.

Cynder suddenly turned back to the other airships that were retreating as they noticed the death of their leading, starting to fade off into the horizon. Cynder and Sparx made their way down from the airship, walking towards Kane and the remaining Atlawan's. She felt her paws step in bloody puddles, heads and bodies scattering the ground.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save them all," she mumbled.

"I may still not trust you, but I am grateful for what you have done," Kane replied, staring at the dead of his tribe. "They died defending their home, there is no greater honour than that."

He turned his attention back to Cynder and Sparx, his expression somewhat conflicted, his mind deep in thought.

"I will help you," he stated eventually, placing his spear onto the floor.

Cynder's eyes shone with hope, a grin returning to her face as she began to explain. She told Kane the entire story: her journey to obtain the elemental stones to visit the Chronicler, Spyro's sickness, and how fast he was deteriorating.

The atlawa nodded, taking it all in. He took a couple deep breaths, before he picked up his spear.

"Come. Follow me," he ordered, turning to walk off.

Cynder blinked, before following Kane. They walked in silence before arriving at the mouth of a large cave, looming over them and decorated with ancient symbols. Kane stopped, turning to Cynder and clearing his breath.

"The elemental stone is in here," he explained, pointing towards the darkened tunnel. "It lies in an ancient ruin from the time of the firstborn atlawa, and where we go to pray. I will go in with you, to make sure you don't break anything, because this is a very sacred place. If anything is destroyed, it is a bad omen, and it will be your fault, understood?"

"Loud and clear, Kane," Cynder said.

Kane huffed in contentment, before entering the cave entrance, Cynder and Sparx following.

"I feel like he thinks this is going to be easy. Like it's go in, grab the stone, then leave," Sparx whispered, leaning in so that he wasn't heard by Kane.

"Considering the last stone we collected, and what we had to go through to get it, I feel like something similar will happen," Cynder agreed. "The stones are raw elemental energy; it's likely going to react when I walk in."

Sparx mumbled quietly in agreement, before falling back into silence. The weight of the unknown bore down on Cynder's mind. What was this challenge going to be? What would try and stop her from taking the stone?

They stopped in front of a massive door that was even taller than Cynder, where Kane stopped to talk quietly to the four guards out in front of the door. A few seconds passed before the doors opened, and Kane, Cynder and Sparx entered, awe taking hold of the latter two. They stood in a large open space, stone pedestals decorating the outside of it, and a large altar sat in the middle. Green flames burned from the candles along the wall, putting the environment in an eerie light. Three more guards stood in the room, standing still with their spears upright.

Kane walked forward towards the altar, Cynder and Sparx following. He bent down and felt around the stone bricks, before pushing one in. Ancient gears turned as the altar moved to the left, opening up a small compartment underneath it which glowed with a bright green light.

"There is your stone," Kane said, reaching in and grabbing it. "Since the dawn of time, our ancestors protected it, as do we now. This is not only a place of worship and prayer, but it is where this ancient artifact is kept and protected, its raw elemental energy keeping all of Tall Plains lush and green as ever, more than any natural source ever could. It bonds itself, and the rest of us, to the earth we live on. Be careful with it, and take care. Good luck with your venture, Cynder."

Cynder nodded, reaching out to take the stone from him, caution screaming in the back of her head. She took it anyway, holding the glowing green stone in her paw, looking at it with awe.

A high-pitched warbling sound suddenly cut through the silence, making everyone jump. Kane looked at Cynder with anger, thinking in his mind that something was coming.

"WHAT DID YOU DO, YOU BEAST?!" Kane screamed.

"I didn't do _anything_!" Cynder snapped back.

"LOOK UP!" Sparx howled.

Kane, Cynder and the guards followed Sparx's gaze up to the roof, noticing a large statue protruding from directly above the altar, claws outstretched and jaws wide open. The eyes were glowing green, and rubble started to fall from the roof as the statue moved.

Cynder's eyes widened and her breathing increased as her heart pounded against her chest. She knew the creature instantly, looking at its sickening claws. There was no doubt, it was a gargoyle. She looked over to Sparx who was screaming at a high pitch, before staring back up at it, a feeling of dread shivering down her spine. There was only one way out of there alive, and it was to fight.

"Ancestors protect us."

* * *

**Finally… Chapter 20 is done. So I'm sure you're all wondering where I have been as it has been a few months since I last uploaded something. Well, the truth is that a lot of personal stuff has been happening over the last few weeks, and that's why Cheetah won't be taking part in the writing of this story anymore. Not lying to you, I didn't really know what I was feeling, apart from a broken heart. Most of you know why, most of you don't, but I want to let you all know that I'm doing better and I can only apologise for this chapter taking so long to come out. I can also only hope that you're all okay and staying safe during this tough time. Stay strong, stay safe and take care of one another.**

**Hope you all have an amazing morning, afternoon or evening…**

**And this is Mystic and Skda… signing off ^_^ **


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